New Regional perspectives; towards vital/competitive rural areas
Prof Dr. Frans Boekema
Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen Tilburg University
Introduction: A real Dutchman… … however with multi regional/local identities
An Economist looks like a Weatherman: his forecast is seldom exactly right, but the analysis afterwards is often stable/reliable
Today we are facing lots of problems related to the transition from the ANALOGUE past to the DIGITAL future
The (analogue) past ďƒ a (very) local community‌
The (digital) Present and Future (Apple-eaters)ďƒ a global community
A cartoon presenting The Euro-crisis; Balancing needs full support and TRUST of all actors
Who is responsible for the Euro crisis? Countries and banks are blaming each Other ďƒ lack of TRUST
EU-sponsored projects LEDA: Local Economic Development Action ďƒ Promoting Local Iniatives
Challenges in the (near) future; * Economic/Demographic decline (shrink)? * Regional Marketing and Branding?
* How to create coalitions/new governance? * How to create transnational exchange?
The (Regional) Knowledge Economy; What can we learn from theory and from best practices?
Silicon Valley: excellent Regional performance and Branding
Economic map 1950) North; Agricultural South: Coalmining East;Textiles/Iron West; Urbanised region
2014; The Regional Economic Map has changed a lot..
Some sectors almost disappeared completely (Coalmining, Textiles)…
...while (complete) new sectors emerged (High Tech, Nano, ICT, etc)…
…and (some) Rural Areas transformed into Innovative Agribusiness Regions
3 (Urban) Mainports in the Netherlands;
Seaport Rotterdam
Airport Amsterdam
Brainport Eindhoven
The Dutch economy; a variety of different local economies
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Policy-makers;
All kinds of Valleys and innovative regions‌
Smart Specialisation Strategy
Some striking Examples
Amsterdam; banks and financial services Eindhoven; High Tech Systems Wageningen; Food-Technology hotspot Rotterdam; Maritime Clusters ….and some Remarkable Rural Regions….
Amsterdam One of the financial centres in Europe
Eindhoven Region
‘Brainport Eindhoven’ high-technology spot in Europa
Foodvalley Wageningen A strong international Performance and Branding
Food-Valley Wageningen‌. Famous and well-known worldwide!
Food Valley with a crucial role of Wageningen University
Some examples of Dutch Rural Regional Developments: * Achterhoek (Rural/SME’s) * Veluwe (Leisure,Recreation) * Zeeuws-Vlaanderen (BioBased Economy) * Betuwe (Fruit & Horticulture) * Venlo (Bordercrossing Agribusiness)
Achterhoek region Rural area with small municipalities and traditional industries
Achterhoek Region: 8 municipalities working together
Veluwe Region Recreation, Nature and Leisure
Veluwe: Focus on Leisure/Recreation and Health
“CARE VALLEY VELUWE”
BERGEIJK 133.url
Regional Branding;
Greenport Venlo (Agribusiness)
From Borderregion Greenport VENLO‌ ...towards‌ a bordercrossing innovative Agrobusinessregion Greenport VenloNiederrhein
Borderregion Venlo/Niederrhein 2025 Agrobusiness region no. 1 Europa?
Region Parkstad (South) Limburg: Economic and Demographic decline)
Parkstad Limburg; How to deal with economic and demographic decline?
Demographic growth and decline Growth and decline; A divers pattern with many new challenges
Twente; From a former TEXTILE region Towards a succesfull NANO-tech hotspot region
ZeeuwsVlaanderen; From periheral borderregion towards backbone in the biobased sustainable economy
Bio-Valley (Dutch-Belgium borderregion)
Smart corporate coalitions (energy, raw materials, waste, hot water, biomass etc.)
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Coalitions at Bio-Valley; Towards a real sustainable regional economy
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Betuwe; a traditional Rural Area (Fruit and Horticulture region)
Challenge: How to transform into a vital rural economy?
Betuwe “Blossom Valley” from old Fruitregion towards a sustainable and innovative AGRIBUSINESS REGION
“Betuwse Bloem� (Blossom Valley; how to construct a regional brand
april 2006
Brainstorm: 40 pragmatic Plans/Projectideas to realise sustainable Agribusiness Clusters
Entrepreneurs presenting their Businessplans for the Provincial Deputy
July 2009
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The provincial agricultural policy report “BETUWSE BLOEM”
Sustainable Mushroom Cluster Smart cooperation; . . . . .
Mushroom-companies Logical services Power plant Trade and marketing Knowledge-centres…..
… leads towards… SUSTAINABLE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The high-tech knowledge has been made available by WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY
Innovations are exposed in an innovative GREENHOUSE
Economic performance of “Betuwe Blossom�: a substantial stronger and sustainable regional development
Presenting the output; from knowledgeto know-howto profit May 2011
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May 2011; Presentation of economic results
Deputy accepts/supports the strategy TNO Bouw en Ondergrond N100-76132
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With professional PR and communication
Lobby en promotion at the Department of Agriculture
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Professional publicity and PR by media ( TV, press)
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Conclusion A Professional Regional Policy and Regional branding might be very helpfull to support the succesfull development of (rural) regions and helps them to realise their ambitions in the future.
Thank you very much for your attention!
Excellent Citymarketing; Guggenheim Bilbao
World-wide promotion of Dutch Flowers (Urbi et Orbi)
Amsterdam Citymarketing; focusing on real topics and hotspots
Regional Cooperation In the Hague/ Rotterdam area
Some International topics of Amsterdam
Excellent Citymarketing Amsterdam re-opening Rijksmuseum
The (analogue) past; Potato-eaters (Vincent van Gogh)
Modern (digital) family-life Apple-eaters
Samenwerking daadwerkelijk uitvoeren in een regionaal plan
Juli 2009
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408 Municipalities are competing with each other to hold/attract ‌ . Inhabitants . Businesses . Visitors . top talents
Maritime Industries (Rotterdam Region)
A strong Dutch brand: cutflowers, bulbs and windmills
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RUHRGEBIET remarkable Regionbranding Past:dirty steel/coal
Present;leisure/Culture
12 Provinces in the Netherlands
Dutch Government:
5 Superprovincies instead of 12
all kinds of Regional Governance Structures and Institutions
Some succesfull examples of regional Branding; * Brainport Eindhoven (High Tech) * Betuwse Bloem (horticulture) * Greenport Venlo – Niederrhein * Bio Valley (Terneuzen-Gent)
Eindhoven Region in the past: An economic monostructure dominated by 2 Multinationals (DAF-Trucks & PHILIPS)
Smartest region of the world 2011-2012
Region Venlo as a sustainable Agribusiness Region (Floriade)
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World Expo FLORIADE succesfullďƒ 2 million visitors
Health Valley Coalitions between companies, local and regional authorities, knowledgecentres, hospitals etc.
Health Valley; an (adapted) copy of Food Valley?
Betuwe; Fruit and horticulture region
The Triple Helix Approach: local autorities, entrepreneurs and Universities
Scientific Report Regional AgribusinessClusters ďƒ Biobased Economy
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Economic map (1950) North; agriculture South-Limburg: Coalmining Veluwe: Recreation Twente/Tilburg/Leiden; Textiles Betuwe;Fruit/horticult Achterhoek; Iron Industry Eindhoven; Philips
And how are the (national, regional and local) demographic developments and trends?
3x demographic growth and decline 2014-2040 Population
Household.
Labour force
Region Noord-Veluwe: cooperation of 6 municipalities
Germany as most important and strongest economy in the EU
Regions with strong coalitions of local/regional authorities, entrepreneurs and knowledgecentres/universities show a good performance
Regionbuilding implies; * creating connections, * using each others qualities, * creating win-win effects * joint strategies * focus and priorities * strong governance and....based on mutual TRUST!!