PARTICIPATORY POLICY MAKING IN FORESIGHT STUDIES AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL A METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH

Anastasia Stratigea

Dept. of Geography and Regional Planning, School of Rural and Surveying Engineering

National Technical University of Athens, E-mail: stratige@central.ntua.gr

Abstract

The issue of stakeholders’ and citizens’ engagement in policy decisions is nowadays at the forefront of participatory planning efforts at the various spatial levels. Involving stakeholders and citizens in participatory planning is always a challenge for planners, which stresses the need for effective tools, capable of dealing with respective planning efforts. The focus of the present paper is on the development of a methodological framework, which builds upon the integration of an analytical scenario planning model – the LIPSOR model, in support of future anticipation and structuring of scenarios, with a tool supporting stakeholders’ and citizens’ engagement – the Focus Group methodology, which aims at the support of planners in structuring the context of the participatory process and producing the necessary qualitative information, used in the scenario planning process. The use of the proposed framework can guide the efforts of planners to incorporate views and visions of a range of local actors, when exploring future development paths of a region/problem at hand. The experience gained from the application of this framework in a specific case study at the regional level is also presented, drawing upon the advantages and disadvantages of such an approach, while finally some conclusions are drawn.

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THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF THE LOAN PROVIDING FUNDS FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES DURING THE RECENT FINANCIAL CRISIS

Chrysanthi Balomenou

Hellenic Open University,

e-mail: hjlp6543@hol.gr, balomenou@tutors.eap.gr

Marianthi Maliari

Hellenic Open University,

e-mail: mmaliari@otenet.gr, mmaliari@ate.gr

Abstract

This work attempts to examine the consequences of the crisis on enterprises and on banks, to study enterprises’ problems related their access to fundsability, to examine the phenomenon of corruption in Greece especially in state banks, to highlight the problems and inefficacies of local enterprises and finally to focus on the economic lag and underdevelopment in all the local economic sectors in Regional Unity of Serres. As regard as the empirical research, it deals with the data extracted from a questionnaire addressed to local entrepreneurs. The results are analysed with the help of the methods of descriptive statistics and correlations. The research main conclusion is that the reduction of the funds provided by the banks to the market resulted in the deterioration of the recession. It is worth referring to the fact that the statistical data extracted from the empirical research are similar to those deduced from the results of the researches that have been referred to in bibliography.

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LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICIES AND TOURISM. AN APPROACH TO SUSTAINABILITY AND CULTURE

Margherita Pedrana

Assistant professor in Applied Economics

European University of Rome

E-mail: margherita.pedrana@unier.it

Abstract

The economic development of an area has been largely discussed in literature. It is linked to the economic structure and resources of a territory. Moreover, also infrastructure and investments may affect the local economic development. Tourism is an economic activity in which visitors move to an area to visit a particular destination. Tourism has different purposes and may also be complementary to other local economic activities.

As all economic activities which affect the development of an area, also tourism has to be managed on routes and specific context. The role of tourism is important in the context of local economic development. Public institutions have to be aware of the capacities of an area and try to help its development. However, if not well managed the local resources may be destroyed by tourist. A local tourism policy towards sustainability is indispensable for the future development of an area.

This paper is organized as follow. The first part will analyze the role of tourism in local area. Subsequently, a model of local economic development and its application on tourism is investigated. Latter, the role and implications for local policy of sustainable tourism are shown. Finally, some conclusions and policy implications are drawn.

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