Regional Governance Processes Research Articles

Стратегирование устойчивого инновационного развития регионов на основе применения технологии блокчейн

The use of blockchain technology in regional development is a relatively new area of research that is just beginning to develop actively. The main aspects of the novelty of this study include the following: exploring the possibilities of using blockchain technology to improve transparency and management efficiency within the framework of regional programs and projects, evaluating the potential of blockchain technology to increase trust and security in interaction between participants in the regional innovation ecosystem, and developing strategies of of blockchain technology to stimulate innovative development of the regions. The purpose of the study is to determine the possibilities of using blockchain technology to stimulate sustainable and innovative development of the regions. Within the framework of the study, a fault-tolerant distributed system for collecting data from blockchain network was developed to strategize sustainable innovative development of the regions based on actor model with the subsequent justification of its economic effectiveness for the Department of Information Technology of Orel region. To achieve this goal, the following tasks were solved: research of potential applications of blockchain technology to ensure sustainable development of the regions, analysis of possible economic benefits from blockchain technology implementation into regional processes, and research of expected technological and organizational changes as a result of its application. Practical significance of the research includes the following: the study suggests a specific practical application of blockchain technology to achieve sustainable innovative development of the regions, thus creating the basis for the development of specific strategies and actions for the government, business and the society as a whole. The study provides practical recommendations on the use of blockchain technology to develop strategies for innovative development of the regions, which can be very useful for managers and executives at the regional and local levels. The following methods were used in the course of the study: the method of studying and summarizing scientific literature (it was used to obtain general information about the object under study for its qualitative use), methods of analysis, synthesis, grouping and classification of data for a detailed study of the object and subject of research, and the method of distributed modeling for collecting data from blockchain network. As a result, it was found that use of blockchain technology can significantly enhance the sustainable innovative development of the regions, which ensures transparency, security and reliability of records and transactions, which contributes to improving the efficiency of processes in various sectors of regional economy. The use of this technology can improve regional governance processes, allowing more efficient data collection and analysis, control of financial resources allocation and prevent corruption. In the course of the study, a system for strategizing sustainable innovative development of the regions based on the actor model of blockchain network was created. Functional modules of the system, which will be responsible for one or another part of the system logic, are highlighted. A fault-tolerant distributed architecture was also developed, including all the necessary functional modules. The results of the study allow recommending the use of this technology in development strategies of regional economies in to make them more innovative, sustainable and competitive. Such use of technology can be implemented through creation of blockchain platforms, smart contracts and digital identifiers that will regulate and simplify processes in various fields of activity, including public administration, business and financial sector. Study of blockchain technology impact on improving transparency and management efficiency in the regions may be further promising area of the research. The analysis of how the blockchain use can increase the level of trust between citizens and authorities, reduce corruption and improve decision-making processes can lead to new development strategies design of the regions. To explore the blockchain use in the field of municipal management, utility bills accounting, local public procurement and other aspects of regional life is also worth doing.

Biosphere Reserves as drivers of regional governance? Communication challenges within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserves Engiadina Val Müstair (Switzerland) and Schwäbische Alb (Germany)

This article examines the influence of Biosphere Reserves’ (BRs) communication strategies on regional governance processes. We conducted semi-structured interviews with regional stakeholders in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserves Engiadina Val Müstair (Switzerland) and Schwäbische Alb (Germany), and evaluated the influence of the BRs’ communication strategies on regional communication structures. Our findings show that BRs can take on the role of mediators of vested interests within regional governance. In order to achieve this goal, BR managers would be advised to adopt a comprehensive communication strategy, i. e. comprising the aspects of information, participation, coordination and cooperation. This, however, is directly dependent on the BRs’ financial and human resources.

Children’s Rights and COVID-19 Responses under the African Union: Recent Developments and Challenges

There is little doubt that children are at risk of being seriously affected by the socio-economic impact and the response measures to the COVID-19 pandemic that may inadvertently affect their rights, interests and well-being. UNICEF has declared that unless states act together, globally and regionally, to address this, it is possible that the pandemic will permanently cause damage to children and our shared future. The pandemic poses real challenges for children around the world, particularly the developing countries in Africa. Most African countries are already bedevilled by socio-economic frailties, corruption, conflict and institutional problems. In this article we explore responses to COVID-19 from the African Union (AU), to ascertain how regional responses have integrated the protection of the rights and interests of children. With the African Children’s Charter as a guide, it is argued that institutions at the AU continental and sub-regional levels are increasingly becoming aware of the importance of children’s rights as a distinct issue rather than being part of women’s concerns. The AU celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of the African Children’s Charter in 2020, and this occasion provides a timely opportunity to reflect on how regional institutions are integrating the principles of children’s rights in regional governance processes and decision-making.

Entwicklung eines neuen Modells zur Analyse regionaler Governanceprozesse

Based on theoretical considerations on life cycles and multi-level models, this paper presents a new model to describe and analyze the development of regional governance processes on longer timescales. Additionally, elements of the path dependence debate and the resilience concept are included. Given this and a data base of over 1300 regional cooperations in Germany, a regional life and adaption cycle model is formulated, which systematically differentiates four development phases. The focus is laid on “tipping points”, that indicate the transition between two phases. Using the Altmark-region as an example, the model is filled with data and consequences for its interpretation are drawn. The model allows the flexible analysis of processes of change and adaptation in multi-level governance structure. External and internal impulses can be distinguished. For each “tipping point”, a specific adaptation cycle can be determined in the region, which describes the direction of the effects and the level of resilience reached. However, the new life cycle model has yet to be developed: The aspects of path dependency and resilience as well as the question of conditions for success are not yet sufficiently integrated. The typology of “tipping points” of phase changes should be specified. Therefore, further theoretical considerations and more detailed empirical research are necessary to improve the model. English Title: Development of a new model for the analysis of regional governance processes

Place marketing and citizen participation: branding as strategy to address the emotional dimension of policy making?

Place marketing is increasingly used by local governments to enhance the image of cities and achieve policy goals related to economic and spatial development. Place marketing has become part of local and regional governance processes. Critics have argued that place marketing is often applied in top-down ways that exclude citizens. Drawing on survey data this article empirically confirms this critique. But the article shows with a case study that citizen involvement in place branding can be used to enhance the quality of the brand and include citizens’ emotions in governance processes. Points for practitioners The influence of citizens on place marketing is generally low. Nonetheless, when citizens are given influence the effects of place marketing on spatial plans and other policies increases, according to respondents of this study. Place branding can be carried out interactively with citizens, and then be applied to include citizens’ emotions in governance processes. This may be used to enrich and locally embed governance processes, and prevent citizens’ protest.

Going Regional

Community-based regionalism (CBR) is the attempt by community-based organizations (CBOs) to reorient regional policies to benefit disadvantaged communities. Advocates of CBR have mostly called not for regional governments, but for collaborative regional governance processes. This article examines the efforts of (CBOs) to form regional governance processes that target jobs from federally funded transportation projects to disadvantaged communities. Transportation policy has long been dominated by a policy monopoly centered on state departments of transportation and their highway engineers. By balancing conflict and collaboration, entrepreneurial CBOs have been able to penetrate this policy monopoly and negotiate successful local hiring agreements using collaborative regional governance processes. We conclude that success will be limited, however, without supportive federal and state policies.

Relaunching Regional Economic-Development Policy and Planning for Auckland: Remaking the State and Contingent Governance under Neoliberalism

Neoliberalisation in New Zealand has been driven further as a political project than in most other countries. After two decades of neoliberal economic policy, it is possible to examine how political-economic actors in subnational spaces have responded to vastly new conditions. I provide an account on how regional economic-development policy and planning has reappeared in Auckland in the postrestructuring period. By deploying relational – institutional and poststructural perspectives in the examination of key policy initiatives that coconstituted an emerging regional economic intervention trajectory, I discuss how economic governance has been assembled, assess its structural coherence and directionality, and analyse the role of the state. I argue that regional governance processes are characterised by contingencies, patterns of institutional experimentation, and, increasingly, the work of central state actors. What is not known to date, however, is whether new regulatory structures are having any major material effects on the course of New Zealand's largest regional economy.

Using game theory to explain the behaviour of participants involved in a regional governance process

Starting in 2000, the NSW Government used a regional governance process to develop water management plans throughout the State. Under the process, the Minister appointed a range of stakeholders such as water users, conservation interests, indigenous interests, and natural resource management agencies to each committee, which then had to make difficult management and policy choices regarding the sustainable use of water. Several committees often worked in the same catchment, each focusing on a slightly different part of the entire water resource.One factor that affects the ability of these types of committees to operate is the institutional arrangements, or rules of operation and policies, under which they must work. Based on data from interviews and documents, this paper interprets how different participants behaved under certain sets of rules using game theory. The paper concludes by suggesting that game theory is helpful in explaining stakeholder behaviour. As such, its application may guide the development of robust operational rules prior to creating such regional governance processes.

Critical Insights for Researchers and Decision-Makers

Regionalization organizations are essential building blocks of health restructuring and are designed to be agents of change and integration in most provinces in Canada. Yet, despite this, most citizens seem to be unaware of regional health authorities, why they exist, the drivers and constraints involved, or whether these divergent structures and regional governance processes have influenced patterns of restructuring and health outcomes. And even when discussions have taken place, these debates have tended to be more prescriptive than analytical. All of this has complicated the task of conceptualizing and making sense of the determinants that have influenced regionalization forms of health service restructuring in Canada and how these have influenced the way resources have been allocated, decisions reached and accountability exercised.