The Abstract can be found here - http://envisioningbetterfutures.blogspot.pt/2014/10/constructing-cross-border-advantage.html - The purpose of this presentation is to stimulate discussion on interregional place branding. It discusses the development of place branding across administrative border-regions, bringing together concepts of (un)related variety, knowledge-bases and policy-platforms, central to the idea of constructing regional advantage. This discussion has been presented during the Regional Studies Association Early Career Conference in Sheffield, UK. :::The RSA::: The Regional Studies Association works with its international membership to facilitate the highest standards of theoretical development, empirical analysis and policy debate of issues at this sub-national scale, incorporating both the urban and rural and different conceptions of space such as city-regions and interstitial spaces. http://www.regionalstudies.org/

1. “Enthusiasm is excitement with inspiration, motivation, and a
pinch of creativity.” (Bo Bennett, n/date)

2. Every single social researcher is a storyteller. And, the more we
leave out, the more we highlight what we leave in.

4. Story with content
My views on
Constructing
regional
advantage
Cross-border
Advantage
GNP
My views on
Place Branding
Joint branding
Strategy for
GNP

5. Story with geographical background
North (NUTS 2) - Portugal Galicia (Autonomous Comu.) - Spain

6. A story with institutional background
EU
Portugal
Spain
Appointed
Elected
EU Regulation 1302/2013, 17 December formally re-established
the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation GNP.

7. A story with theoretical background
Which draws important lessons from the idea of constructing
regional advantage (e.g. Boschma, 2014) and interregional
branding (e.g. Pasquinelli, 2013) and aims to encourage a
unique cross-border storyline for Galicia and northern Portugal.

8. And a story with methodological background
Qualitative analysis of the content of the Joint Investment
Programme 2014-2020 published by the EGTC Galicia-northern
Portugal (March, 2014) with the aims of identifying cross-border
potential and relatedness.

9. My views on place branding
Place branding stresses communication between governments
and citizens (…) it may be used in support visionary realignments,
fostering economic restructuring, political engagement, social
inclusion and cohesion (Ashworth & Kavaratzis, 2010).

10. The research domain has been deepened through the years
Hankinson, (2010)

11. Since its genesis, place branding has been concerned
with selling/promoting places mainly for tourism
purposes

12. But place branding is more than colourful logos (Oliveira, 2014)

13. And far much than catchy taglines
…

14. INTERNAL AUDIENCES, their needs and wishes require highly attention

15. Place branding is more efficient if local authorities, policy makers
and COMMUNITIES PARTICIPATE and take it as a STRATEGIC
PROCESS

16. In which the uniqueness of places are developed further. As place
branding has the capability of providing something for everybody,
only because, and only when, they are CREATED BY EVERYBODY.

17. Praising place potential, specialties, peculiarities and what make
citizens feel proud of. Cities and regions are living realities.

18. Place branding has been widely embraced by place
management authorities world-wide as a panacea for a
bewildering diversity of economic and social ailments
(Ashworth, 2011) – BUT IT’S NOW A MAGICAL/INSTANTE SOLUTION
BRANDING

19. Realistic and honest approaches are key elements to gain advantage

20. Has been applied REGARDLESS THE SCALE (e.g. countries,
regions and cities) and AIMS (e.g. attract/retain people,
capital) but cannot yet be considered as a robust domain of
knowledge as long as a number of methodological and
theoretical challenges remain to be tackled (Giovanardi, 2014)
e.g. spatial planning (Van Assche and Lo , 2011).

21. Andy Pike (2013) argues that despite the emergence and far-reaching
importance, brands and branding are an
underinvestigated area in economic geography. Moreover,
Pasquinelli (2013) underlines that there is an apparent gap in
place branding literature which overlooks branding across
administrative borders.

22. In addition, global competition, growing complexity and the
challenges posed to transnational geographical entities, boost
the practice of undertaking cross-border territorial cooperation
in order to “construct” their competitiveness, strengthen their
positioning and provide TERRITORIAL VISIBILITY (Hospers, 2004;
Pasquinelli & Teräs, 2013).

23. And constructing regional advantage seems better prepared to
tackle economic and social imbalances, in their essence, derived
from globalisation (Asheim et al., 2011).

24. CRA suggests that effective policy making requires tailor made
actions that are sensitive to the specific needs and available
resources of regions (Lambooy & Boschma, 2001) which could
sustain cross-border synergies tailored to what makes them
unique - CONSTRUCT A MORE ATTRACTIVE AND UNIQUE GEOGRAPHY.

25. Such as the Scandinavian Øresund region which has been quite successful
and highlighted as a best practice in place branding (Hospers, 2006)
Branding builds upon
unique regional
assets
Copenhagen/Malmö
European model for
cross-border
cooperation
Mismatch between
the Øresund’s
identity and image
‘imagined space’

26. A less imagined space emerges with history, shared identity.
Industrial-knowledge and institutional structures are also relevant for
turning comparative advantages into competitiveness (Boschma,
2014) – promote cross-border cooperation.

27. Closeness between Portuguese and Galician as facilitator of
knowledge exchange

28. GNP have enjoyed centuries of shared history and culture.
Asymmetrical regional government system. Both regions are
facing crucial economic and social issues (e.g. unemployment).

29. Related variety could support employment growth (Frenken et al., 2007)
22% - Galicia (2Q2014)
13% - northern Portugal (May, 2014)
Unemployment rates, August 2014, Eurostat, INE, IGE

30. Unrelated variety could reduce unemployment growth (Frenken et al., 2007)
Youth
unemployment rate
2013 Q4
54.9%
34.8%
19.7%

31. According to Asheim et al. (2011) the exchange of technologically
related knowledge (low/high) between related sectors in a region
is more likely to boosting regional development.
Early leavers from
education and training,
by NUTS 2 regions, 2012
(1) (% of 18–24 year-olds)
- Source: Eurostat

32. Policy platforms – The role of the EGTC GNP
Tradition on cross-border cooperation
Adding value
to the euroregional
entrepreneur base,
by promoting
competition
through knowledge
and innovation
Developing
transport and
access to basic
transport
systems
Social and
institutional
cohesion
Operationalise
Facilitating
Coordinate
Socio-cultural identity
Spatial cognition
Attempts integration
Promoting cross
border relationship
Joint Investment
Higher educa. ties
Industry cooperative ties
Labour mobility tradition

33. Constructing a cross-border advantage GNP
cross-border
relatedness
EGTC – GNP
Joint Investment
Programme 2014-2020
cross-border
Knowledge
based
EGTC
As policy-platform/institutional-facilitator

34. Tailored actions that takes region-specific (in)tangible assets as
starting point to create momentum and generate job-opportunities
(in line with Boschma, 2014), investment links.
e.g. The traditions of the textile industry and shoemaking, can
be explored strategically with the universities and research
centres, on both sides of the border (unrelated variety), which
could reduce unemployment.

35. In recognition of some existing cooperative links between Galicia
and northern Portugal, the networks already established as well
as the platform GNP-EGTC, constructing a cross-border
advantage, based on industrial variety and knowledge activities,
can be the pillars of a joint cross-border branding strategy.
Engage Tailored & Context Sensitive Co-Create(ion)

36. Constructing cross-border advantage / joint branding strategy

37. Policy recommendations
Territorial reorganisation
Sharing facilities
e.g. laboratories
and best-practices
Socio-spatial-economic transformation
Joining forces,
procedures,
strategic tools
unique
brand and the
same
cross-border
promotional
storyline
in academic
research
+ cooperation
+ joint projects
Promote synergies to support industrial know-how,
tailored R & D, and develop further
regional tourism potential (e.g. cultural)
Sharing trade
facilities
and resources
+ socio-spatial
togetherness
+ cross-border
Identity
building

38. Place-specific belonging or not belonging, it’s the question.
Feeling Galicia-northern Portuguese(ish). #Identity #image #desired-reputation

39. Construct a unique cross-border advantage and give visibility to GNP
as unique region through a cross-border branding strategy and bring
all regional actors and communities to work together and share the
same brand-storyline it will remain a byzantine task.

40. Thank you
(references upon request via email)
Eduardo Oliveira
e.h.da.silva.oliveira@rug.nl