Inspired by recent scholarly discussions on the geographical dimensions of
place branding, including several recently published cross-disciplinary literature
reviews, this paper presents an in-depth analysis of place branding research
published in human geography. A total of 86 research articles published
in human geography from 2000 to 2012 were analyzed. On the basis of
this analysis, the paper makes three claims: first, it is time for place branding
research to move beyond a conceptual understanding of place branding as the
adaption of corporate branding to places. Second, in human geography, place
branding research is primarily empirically based, which can be seen as an
argument against the previous claims of scarce empirical basis for the theoretical
claims made in place branding studies. Third, by using perspectives and
theories from human geography in the study of place branding, it is argued
that geographers make distinctive conceptual contributions to the research
field of place branding.
The literature analysis is divided into two sections, a quantitative section
and a qualitative section. The quantitative findings of the literature analysis
illustrate how the empirical research has a strong overrepresentation of qualitative
studies that combine two or more methods and that are primarily concerned
with large cities and capitals located in Europe, Asia and North America.
Therefore, one of the conclusions of the paper is to suggest that the current
research field contains several “gaps” in terms of methodological approaches,
scale and geographical locations with regards to empirical studies in place
branding.
The qualitative findings presented in the paper suggest that there are seven
distinct perspectives in the human geography research on place branding. These
perspectives are the following: (1) place identities and place images, (2)
urban entrepreneurialism, (3) the theoretical relationship between branding
and geography, (4) place branding practices, (5) democracy and social exclusion,
(6) creative places and (7) geographical co-branding. Each of these perspectives
is connected to other well-established research approaches in human
geography, thus drawing on different concepts and frameworks in their examinations
of place branding. In conclusion, joining the quantitative and qualitative
findings together, this paper suggests that place branding research has
moved beyond a routine conceptualization of corporate branding to places out
into a wider understanding of interplaying societal, political, spatial and economic
structures that create what is known as place branding
Paper II: Beyond “Guggenheiming”: From flagship
buildings to flagship space in Sweden
In this paper, a case study of five flagship hotels located in small towns in
Sweden is presented. Together, the five hotels are considered to be “best practice”
within their respective genre, focusing on offering visitors different cultural,
adventurous and relaxing experiences through providing art exhibitions,
outdoor activities and spas. Using a conceptual framework that presents a
‘territoriality-relationality symbiosis’ of flagship hotels, the paper illustrates
how so-called best practice flagship hotels have developed over time.
The paper argues for a dualistic understanding of flagship buildings that
acknowledges both the relational and territorial dimensions of such developments.
Using the famous “Guggenheiming” policy model as reference (referring
to the cultural development strategies implemented in Bilbao, Spain), this
paper illustrates how there is an overly relational perspective in the place
branding academic debate on flagship buildings. As a key tool in place branding
and a popular object to “copy and borrow” among policy makers, the
study of flagship buildings joins together streams of literature from place
branding and policy migration.
When analyzing the case studies, it becomes clear that the flagship hotels
have emerged through the interplay of both territorial and relational processes.
These processes involve both local and global policy and investment networks;
territorial path dependencies, strong entrepreneurs with territorial connections
carrying relational ideas; and windows of opportunity that have facilitated
the development of the hotels locally. In addition to these processes,
the development of the hotels’ flagship status has been aided by the active
involvement of actors outside the hotel management. A wide range of entrepreneurs,
organizations, policymakers and community representatives contribute
to the process of producing and reproducing the hotels’ flagship status,
changing the spatial dimension of the flagship from the hotel itself to incorporate
a wider geographical area.
Therefore, the main conclusion of this study is that the development of the
hotels is connected with both territorial and relational geographies, thus presenting
an understanding of these hotels as not merely flagship buildings but
rather as creators of flagship space.
Inspired by recent scholarly discussions on the geographical dimensions ofplace branding, including several recently published cross-disciplinary literaturereviews, this paper presents an in-depth analysis of place branding researchpublished in human geography. A total of 86 research articles publishedin human geography from 2000 to 2012 were analyzed. On the basis ofthis analysis, the paper makes three claims: first, it is time for place brandingresearch to move beyond a conceptual understanding of place branding as theadaption of corporate branding to places. Second, in human geography, placebranding research is primarily empirically based, which can be seen as anargument against the previous claims of scarce empirical basis for the theoreticalclaims made in place branding studies. Third, by using perspectives andtheories from human geography in the study of place branding, it is arguedthat geographers make distinctive conceptual contributions to the researchfield of place branding.The literature analysis is divided into two sections, a quantitative sectionand a qualitative section. The quantitative findings of the literature analysisillustrate how the empirical research has a strong overrepresentation of qualitativestudies that combine two or more methods and that are primarily concernedwith large cities and capitals located in Europe, Asia and North America.Therefore, one of the conclusions of the paper is to suggest that the currentresearch field contains several “gaps” in terms of methodological approaches,scale and geographical locations with regards to empirical studies in placebranding.The qualitative findings presented in the paper suggest that there are sevendistinct perspectives in the human geography research on place branding. Theseperspectives are the following: (1) place identities and place images, (2)urban entrepreneurialism, (3) the theoretical relationship between brandingand geography, (4) place branding practices, (5) democracy and social exclusion,(6) creative places and (7) geographical co-branding. Each of these perspectivesis connected to other well-established research approaches in humangeography, thus drawing on different concepts and frameworks in their examinationsof place branding. In conclusion, joining the quantitative and qualitativefindings together, this paper suggests that place branding research hasmoved beyond a routine conceptualization of corporate branding to places outinto a wider understanding of interplaying societal, political, spatial and economicstructures that create what is known as place brandingPaper II: Beyond “Guggenheiming”: From flagshipbuildings to flagship space in SwedenIn this paper, a case study of five flagship hotels located in small towns inSweden is presented. Together, the five hotels are considered to be “best practice”within their respective genre, focusing on offering visitors different cultural,adventurous and relaxing experiences through providing art exhibitions,outdoor activities and spas. Using a conceptual framework that presents a‘territoriality-relationality symbiosis’ of flagship hotels, the paper illustrateshow so-called best practice flagship hotels have developed over time.The paper argues for a dualistic understanding of flagship buildings thatacknowledges both the relational and territorial dimensions of such developments.Using the famous “Guggenheiming” policy model as reference (referringto the cultural development strategies implemented in Bilbao, Spain), thispaper illustrates how there is an overly relational perspective in the placebranding academic debate on flagship buildings. As a key tool in place brandingand a popular object to “copy and borrow” among policy makers, thestudy of flagship buildings joins together streams of literature from placebranding and policy migration.When analyzing the case studies, it becomes clear that the flagship hotelshave emerged through the interplay of both territorial and relational processes.These processes involve both local and global policy and investment networks;territorial path dependencies, strong entrepreneurs with territorial connectionscarrying relational ideas; and windows of opportunity that have facilitatedthe development of the hotels locally. In addition to these processes,the development of the hotels’ flagship status has been aided by the activeinvolvement of actors outside the hotel management. A wide range of entrepreneurs,organizations, policymakers and community representatives contributeto the process of producing and reproducing the hotels’ flagship status,changing the spatial dimension of the flagship from the hotel itself to incorporatea wider geographical area.Therefore, the main conclusion of this study is that the development of thehotels is connected with both territorial and relational geographies, thus presentingan understanding of these hotels as not merely flagship buildings butrather as creators of flagship space.
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