Abstract
The aim of this paper is to study the power dynamics that unfold as part of communicative processes in place marketing collaboration, as exemplified in the EU’s developed but peripheral regional settings. The paper applies positioning theory to analyse how power dynamics are constructed through the distribution of rights and duties between participating stakeholders in two regional-level place marketing projects carried out in Eastern Finland between 2011 and 2014. The analysis of 24 interviews reveals story lines that unfold as part of a collaborative process between steering group representatives. Focus is given to the attribution of rights and duties to the stakeholders within these story lines, and the power dynamics that manifest as a result. Two central story lines are identified. In the formal story line positioning is related to the distribution of funding, regional scope of the projects, and the formal roles of stakeholders. In the spatial story line positioning concerned the dominance of regional centres and the spatial proximity between stakeholders. While the paper underlines the potential of positioning theory for understanding power dynamics in place marketing contexts, the findings are limited to specific geographical and institutional contexts. However, the paper presents a novel approach to the analysis of power dynamics in place marketing and branding by bringing attention to the normative aspects of power in communicative processes. This helps to identify and address the tension caused by power dynamics in place marketing and branding collaborations, which has been identified as a central challenge in recent literature.
Highlights
European sparsely populated regions are facing a trend of migration to more populated regions and cities
The first prominent story line in the interviews in which positioning of participating stakeholders occurred was related to the formal and financial background of the projects. Both of the studied cases were projects funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), which sets conditions regarding the geographical scope, funding model and organizational form of the projects
This study adds to this discussion on power dynamics in place marketing and branding by bringing attention to the normative aspects of power dynamics
Summary
European sparsely populated regions are facing a trend of migration to more populated regions and cities. The European Union has supported this with funding instruments such as the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund), resulting in an abundant stream of projects intended to support the economic and social development of these regions Such projects most commonly take the form of partnerships, where local stakeholders from public and private sectors work together towards set goals. Managing stakeholder relations in the context of place marketing and branding has been considered as problematic as it deals with cross-sector stakeholders who have potentially conflicting interests and understandings of the practice Issues such as power struggles and the inclusion-exclusion bias of stakeholder groups has been identified (Boisen et al, 2011; Kavaratzis, 2012; Messely et al, 2015; Warnaby, 2009; Warnaby and Medway, 2013). The purpose of this paper is to study the power dynamics that unfold within communicative processes in place marketing collaborations
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