Understanding rural areas dynamics from a complex perspective. An application of Prospective Structural Analysis

The development of rural areas continues to be an international priority. The urgent need to fight poverty (mainly concentrated in rural areas) in developing countries, and the demand for increasing economic and social cohesion in developed countries, explain this priority on the political agendas of multilateral bodies, the EU and most other countries. When Development Economics was acknowledged as part of the social and economic theory in the 50’s, different theories and models have tried to explain the unevenness of development and the key elements or conditions that foster it. Traditional rural development programmes were characterised by the implementation of non coordinated, sectoral, horizontal and top-down policies and strategies. The lack of effectiveness and the failures prompted by these policies have propelled the development of new approaches. Territorial rural development is a policy approach embracing contributions from different theoretical frameworks that attempt to foster development strategies based on the consideration of territory as a social construction. Thus, the territory (including all the existing elements and its interactions) has become a key actor for development. However, most of these approaches contemplate rural world through simplistic and monodimensional analysis based on methodologies from single disciplines and on quantitative and/or qualitative morphological descriptions. The pretended multidisciplinarity, frequently ends up on an addition of mono-disciplinary analysis around the object of study. The objective of the present paper is to check the role different elements considered relevant for development by literature´s recent approaches play or can play in rural territories with a very different development situation, using techniques and tools that allow the analysis of rural areas from a complex perspective.territorial rural development, complexity, prospective structural analysis, Community/Rural/Urban Development,

Circular PSS Strategies: An Exploration of the Integration of Territorial Resources

Product service systems (PSS) are frequently cited as key strategies in the transition towards the circular economy (CE). The main aim of the CE is sustainable development (SD), hence, this paper intends to highlight the importance of considering the territory in the design and implementation of circular PSS strategies for ensuring SD. This research is in an early stage, thus, a literature review was conducted to define the main characteristics of circular PSS, and the concepts of the territory, territorial and local resources from a PSS perspective. In addition, an analysis of the state-of-the-art approach of the integration of the territorial scale in the design and development of PSS strategies was conducted. This study contributes to the understanding of the territory and its relevance in the local value creation in circular PSS strategies. Furthermore, the results highlight the relevant role of collaboration and the importance of intangible resources in the mobilisation of other resources in the design of circular PSS strategies

Some Economics of Act Water Resources: Determining Initial "Cap" Entitlements for the Act

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) became a full participant in the Murray Darling Basin (MDB) Initiative in 1998. This opened the opportunity for the ACT to establish water trading arrangements with the other MDB member States. Provisions to facilitate this trade are currently being developed. In addition, the ACT is required to negotiate an initial “Cap” level with the other MDB members before water trading can begin. The Cap defines the amount of water resources for which each State has extractive rights, and is based on 1993/94 levels of water utilising development. This paper investigates alternative trading strategies that could be used to “build” Cap over time, and explores the implications for negotiation of the initial ACT Cap endowment.water resources, water markets, trading strategy, Australian Capital Territory, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Relationship between spatial and development planning at the local level in the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina

The mutual relationship between spatial and development planning at the local level is a very current topic that has concrete consequences for development processes in local government units in the territory of Republika Srpska (RS). Although it is still unregulated from the legislative point of view, local development planning is much more present in practice, which is primarily manifested in the almost complete coverage of the territory of the RS by local development strategies. The connection of these documents to spatial and urban plans has not been treated in an appropriate way, which leads to a certain degree of their mutual inconsistency. The basic hypothesis of this paper arises from this statement, and that is that the lack of a clearly defined connection with spatial planning in the methodology of drafting local development documents leads to the inconsistency of these documents as the final result. As an auxiliary hypothesis, the assumption will be investigated that a large discrepancy in the coverage of the territory of the Republika Srpska between local development strategies and spatial plans of local government units also contributed to this inconsistency

The economic dimensions of prolonged occupation: continuity and change in Israeli policy towards the Palestinian economy

- There is no Israeli economic policy towards the Palestinian people or the occupied territory; rather there is a policy to maintain occupation and administration of the Palestinian territory by whatever means available, including economic strategies; - Israeli strategies deployed since 1967 have included economic inducements to improve the quality of life, devolution, and other schemes focused on promoting individual welfare but not preventing communal poverty; - The Oslo Accords and the Paris Protocol on Economic Relations (PER) of 1994 formalized the de facto customs union in operation under occupation and locked in the adverse path of dependence of the Palestinian economy upon Israel; - Palestinian Authority institutions have been unable to establish sovereign or even autonomous institutions capable of expanding the space for economic policymaking and for economic polices promoting long-term development; - The effects of Israel’s dual strategy of skewed economic integration coupled with physical separation has led, over forty years, to divergence in per capita incomes between Israel and the territory, rather than the convergence promised by economic theory and the premises of the customs union; - Instead of continuing to repeatedly reform the facades of interim self-government, all efforts should aim to form the sovereign institutions for statehood; - New Israeli overtures under the heading of “economic peace” risk not only diverting attention from political processes, but also hark back to an era of Israeli domination of the Palestinian economy, which demonstrably failed; - Though the PER may have outlived its design and usefulness, it can only be superseded if a fundamentally different framework is envisaged, rooted in ensuring Palestinian sovereignty, statehood and economic viability; - A Palestinian economic strategy for sovereignty and peace would entail seeking recognition of the Palestinian economy as a separate customs territory, and would become the reference point for formulation of economic policy, institution-building, decision-making, and international economic relations; - Such a status would offer a platform for building a viable, vibrant and secure national economy for the envisioned State of Palestine, governed by a framework which adheres, among other principles, to the multilateral rules and disciplines embodied in the World Trade Organization; - Only through a Palestinian economic policy framework that is predicated on the separate, internationally recognized status of the economy of the occupied territory, which in turn helps to create the conditions to end occupation, can a viable Palestinian economy and a sovereign State emerge to deliver the promise of peace.Palestinian economy, occupied Palestinian territories

Governing Networks and Rule-Making in Cyberspace

The global network environment defies traditional regulatory theories and policymaking practices. At present, policymakers and private sector organizations are searching for appropriate regulatory strategies to encourage and channel the global information infrastructure (“GII”). Most attempts to define new rules for the development of the GII rely on disintegrating concepts of territory and sector, while ignoring the new network and technological borders that transcend national boundaries. The GII creates new models and sources for rules. Policy leadership requires a fresh approach to the governance of global networks. Instead of foundering on old concepts, the GII requires a new paradigm for governance that recognizes the complexity of networks, builds constructive relationships among the various participants (including governments, systems operators, information providers, and citizens), and promotes incentives for the attainment of various public policy objectives in the private sector

Italian and Croatian Urban Planning: A Comparative Analysis

Croatian and Italian coasts get involved in seasonal tourism that affects the equilibrium of cities. This phenomenon causes many specific problems that can be solved by suitable urban planning strategies. The actual Croatian coast development seems to replay the situation of the Italian coast 20 years ago: in both cases, the absence of adequate planning causes inability to manage and control urban growth. With respect to these general issues, the author aims at identifyng the planning framework instituted in Italy and in Croatia, through the comparative analysis of local and regional planning instruments such as guidelines, directives and prescriptions for actual and future plans. This study concerns mainly the two coastal areas of Molise, in Italy, and of Split-Dalmacija and Dubrovnik-Neretva counties, in Croatia. The author illustrates how a lack of a suitable physical planning is a serious threat to the development of coastal areas. One of the main causes is that the actual local and regional devices are unable to answer positively to environmental and landscape emergencies, especially in Croatia. Some of the main themes analysed are the following: road and railway systems, architectural, environmental and natural resources, industrial and tourist growth. The planning process has a strategical and leading role in urban governance, both in preliminary and in putting in act phase, in order to reach a sustainable development of the territory. Some interesting results emerge from the comparison of the two government systems and from the resources still available in Italy and in Croatia. These results are useful for continuing the research of development strategies to enhance the territorial value in a compatible way with needs of environmental and nature protection.The planning design guidelines, based on the development capability assessment of the territory, should be answer the requirements of sustainability and valorisation of local resources. This study has been accomplished by the GES.S.TER. Interreg III A Adriatic Cross Border (the Head of this Project is prof. Donatella Cialdea, University of Molise, and the Cross Border Partner is University of Split). The author is a PhD student in “Landscape Analysis and Valorisation†by University of Molise, Italy.

“An Integrated Approach on Spatial Planning and Territorial Cohesion”

The growth, (without) urban planning especially in developing countries such as Kosovo implies a large spatial extent of smaller and larger settlements. The consistency of their coexistence in space (territory) within the development concepts remains a key issue with regard to territorial cohesion. In this context, research questions should be raised: How does the position and extent of the territory as well as the specific geographic conditions affect the spatial planning? How to address the population, structure, movements, density and growth in the correct accommodation of their needs? Why do communications, interconnections and the polycentric concept are the basis for functional development integrations? Answers to these questions, can be the basis for a sustainable spatial planning and with integrated approach. To ensure territorial cohesion, it is necessary to ensure an integrated approach to spatial development through the cohesion of key factors such as: development policies and strategies, territory and development resources too. In this context, it is necessary to discuss issues related to the development vision, development potentials and development requirements, through stakeholder’s involvement, in understanding the opportunities and needs, and always applying modern trends such as: efficient solutions, SMART concepts, and integration process

The resilient character of PDO/PGI products in dynamic food markets

The European and Italian food system is experiencing a change in the relationship with the consumer and with the distribution. In fact, customers are increasingly demanding, and are attracted, by products that have high quality content and a strong link with the territory. The brands with the price are the two factors affecting the strategic policies of the food producer firms. At the same time, the retail system has proven to be very sensitive to consumer demands by providing quality products at competitive prices and using their brand as an element of loyalty. In the European context, the Italian agri-food system has the higher number of products with the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) recognition. However, 90% of PDO products are represented by only 15 Designations. This figure shows how different types of products find a much diversified business position in relation to the firm’s characteristics, to the markets characteristics, to the reputation of the Designation and to the consortium strategies in relation to their commercialization. The objective of this research, based on observed data collected through the survey of QUALIVITA Association, is to provide an exhaustive picture of the economic characteristics of the Italian PDO, PGI Designations and define a typology of such Designation according different set of variables as production system, reputation level, role of the territory and distribution channel. The ultimate goal is to determine the strategic levers taken at the marketing stage and to identify which factors clarify their potentiality on the market. The methodology adopted for the quantitative analysis is based on non-hierarchical cluster analysis by the method of k-mean in order to identify clusters of similar designations which explain what variables act on the various strategies adopted and on the related development processes.PDO/PGI, quality, modern distribution, cluster analysis, marketing strategies, development processes, Agricultural and Food Policy, Marketing,

Rural Development - A Basic Condition For Narrowing Regional Disparities In Romania

Rural community development may be described as a territorial development approach. In Romania the territorial disparities have historical, cultural and economic roots. Also the industrialisation process in the period before 1989 and later the structural changes during the transition to market economy had a long run impact on the rural areas. The rural space covers over 87% of the territory and 45% of the population, these shares being significantly higher than in other EU countries. The high dependence of rural population on subsistence agriculture and the low level of income and living standards have made the regions dominated by rural areas less attractive. As a result, in the last decade, the emigration of the economically active population to urban areas and to EU countries has increased. The paper focuses on a multi-criteria analysis of rural-urban disparities in Romania and on the strategic role of multifunctional and sustainable rural development for the reduction of regional disparities and of labour force deficit.regional disparities, rural/urban disparities, poverty, development strategies