How can cities in the Alps-Adriatic region improve their competitiveness and cross-border cooperation through visioning of strategic urban projects?

Content Provider	Semantic Scholar
Copyright Year	2007
Abstract	During the 1990s, political, economic, cultural and institutional changes, conditioned by transition reforms in Central and Eastern Europe, and the process of globalization, European Union (EU) enlargement and integration (»EU-isation«), brought about higher competitiveness between cities and regions. Simultaneously cross-border inter-urban and interand trans-regional cooperation (i.e. horizontal and vertical links and connections) stimulated competitiveness, but also enhanced preservation or improvement of the quality of life in cities within the paradigm of sustainable development. In the context of inter-urban competitiveness, as a form of intermediate level of competitiveness between companies and states, the »city competitiveness« could not be defined only by economic or classical market forces. The important factors are also social, political, legal, cultural, environmental, spatial organisation etc. Non-economic factors affect competitiveness and limit it with levels of public and private participation, motivation of actors, urban management efficiency, satisfactory living standards, economic and social cohesion, democratic political system and transparent decision-making process. The level of development of local (city) autonomy compared to the national level (the state) is also important. It applies to local legislature, identity, business culture, attitudes to foreigners, education system, and effectiveness of state and local authorities (see Cheshire, P. and Gordon, I. 1995; Duffy, H., 1995; EC, 1998; Hall, P., Pfeiffer, U., 2000; Urban Studies, 1999).
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Language	English
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Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article