Projects / Programmes
Competitiveness of Slovene cities and the role of Ljubljana within the network of capital cities in central Europe: marketing the city of Ljubljana
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 5.08.00 |
Social sciences |
Urbanism |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| S240 |
Social sciences |
Town and country planning |
| T260 |
Technological sciences |
Physical planning |
competitiveness, sustainability, urban networks, city marketing, inter-city cooperation, urban development policies
Researchers (5)
Organisations (1)
Abstract
During the 90s the European urban system has been faced with the processes of globalisation, restructuring of the international economic system, the development of new information and communications technologies and the gradual elimination of national boundaries. These processes have had both positive and negative effects on development in individual spheres as well as on the development of European cities and regions. Under the circumstances, strong competition has developed, between European cities, in the creation of new employment opportunities and in the securing of investment. It has, at the same time become clear that a new European hierarchy of cities needs to be urgently developed in place of the traditional urban hierarchies in individual countries. The fundamental objective of the transformation of European national urban systems is to encourage the development of international urban networks based on:
- joint ventures and linkages between various enterprises;
- cooperation between local and regional administrations;
- transport connections;
- cultural cooperation, etc.
These new city networks are expected to make an important contribution towards the development of a more appropriate global society. The aim of the research is to determine the current role and development potential of Slovene cities, with special emphasis put on Ljubljana, within the framework of the system of the Central European Competitive City Network. In addition to this, it is necessary to make a systematic review of the theory of urban development, laying particular emphasis on those aspects which are vital for the analysis of city competitiveness, inter-city cooperation and integration into city networks. The competitiveness of Slovene cities has so far not yet been systematically analysed, neither at the inter-city level nor at individual city level. The project will, thus, be based on an interdisciplinary theoretical framework appropriate for the analysis of city competitiveness, the development and the integration of cities into the network within the European system of cities. We shall conduct an empirical evaluation of the present level of competitiveness of Slovene cities as well as their development potential and perspective. Particular reference will be made to the influence of city competitiveness on European integration processes, and to the institutional framework and development strategies. These issues will be illuminated upon, in the project, through the analysis of the Slovene urban system and the role of its cities within national and international city hierarchies and networks. We shall identify the advantages and disadvantages of the previous models of development of Slovene cities with respect to urbanisation policies as well as with regard to natural geographical features. We shall also examine, in detail, the role of Ljubljana city within the network of Central European capital cities such as: Bratislava, Budapest and Prague. The research project thus seeks to identify the factors that are essential for the competitiveness of cities, and to develop an empirical basis that will be of use to city development planners and for researchers in the field of urban and regional development. The main issues on which research will be conducted will therefore be: the relationships between city competitiveness and sustainable development; the role of Slovene cities within the European urban system; interdependence between urban development matters and the measures for dealing with them; matters concerning the competencies of various administrative levels (local, regional, national and international) with respect to city competitiveness, in comparison with modern development trends in other Western and Central European cities.
