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on Marketing |
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Issue of 2005‒11‒09
nineteen papers chosen by Joao Carlos Correia Leitao Universidade da Beira Interior |
| By: | Anabela Dinis |
| Abstract: | Over recent years territorial cohesion has become an important concern for national and supra-national governments. This concern stems from the unexpected growth in spatial imbalance in terms of economic development. Urban and more developed areas are attracting more and more people and economic activities, while a great part of rural and peripheral territories seem condemned to desertification and abandonment. This is clearly the case of Portugal. This paper shows how the application of marketing tools and philosophy can be used to reverse (or at least slow down) this process when applied to the formulation and implementation of territorial development strategies. With this in mind, the issue of territorial development is looked at and marketing concepts are introduced. Considering rural and peripheral territories as the product to be marketed, the main components of its marketing system are discussed and some of the current trends in society that affect supply and demand of the rural product are presented. Under the light of this theoretical framework, some guidelines for action and the main responsible agents are identified in order to improve the competitiveness of rural and peripheral areas Key words: Rural and peripheral territories, Marketing, Competitiveness |
| Date: | 2004–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa04p681&r=mkt |
| By: | Rajagopal (Monterrey Institute of Technology & Higher Education, Mexico City Campus) |
| Abstract: | The role of customer value has been largely recognized over time by the firms as an instrument towards stimulating market share and profit optimization. The customer values for a new product of firm in competitive markets are shaped more by habits, reinforcement effects, and situational influences than strongly-held attitudes. A basic premise of the paper is that the focus should be on maximizing total customer value and customer satisfaction which are inter-dependent in the decision making process towards buying new products. The framework of the construct is a proposed model which integrates all aspects so as to maximize the potential of the organization and all its subsystems to create and sustain satisfied customers. The discussion in the paper on the customer value gaps in the process of marketing new products and explores the possible situations that may lead to lower the customer value. The model discussed in the study has been subject to empirical testing through analysis of data collected from 369 respondents purposively selected. The study was conducted in the 11 retail auto service stores located in Mexico City. |
| Keywords: | Product positioning, customer value measurement, retailing, marketing functions, aggregate returns, model construct and estimation |
| JEL: | B41 C13 C44 C51 D11 M21 M31 |
| Date: | 2005–08–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wpa:wuwpem:0508012&r=mkt |
| By: | Tüzin Baycan-Levent; Aliye Ahu Gülümser |
| Abstract: | Gated communities are part of the trend of suburbanization that is based on the creation of self-contained, separate communities with carefully constructed identities. There are many definitions of gated communities and they differ from country to country. However, a general definition can be given as “physical privatized areas where outsiders and insiders exist”. In parallel to the increasing diversity and multiplicity, gated communities have grown in both developed and developing countries and they have radically transformed the urban environment. For residents, gated communities are lifestyles choices. For developers, they can be a marketing angle, another way to target specific submarkets or a necessity to meet demand in some areas. The aim of this paper is to investigate the phenomenon of “gated communities” which is one of the most important driving forces in housing market. The paper will focus on the production and marketing of gated communities in Istanbul. How is the production and marketing process of gated communities? The paper will provide an answer to this question while evaluating the data obtained from the extensive survey questionnaires filled out by developers of gated communities. |
| Date: | 2004–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa04p525&r=mkt |
| By: | José Cadima Ribeiro; José Freitas Santos |
| Abstract: | Resources (tangible and intangible) can be mobilized to increase region's reputation and image giving a competitive advantage to certain products with origin in that region. The returns of a region's resources depend upon the ability of local firms to appropriate the rents earned and whether the consumers value the characteristics of the region that are associated with the product, being disposed to pay a price premium. The estimation of a hedonic price function, which relates the price of Portuguese regional cheeses to its various attributes provided empirical support to test the importance of designation of origin on price. The study showsthat some designations of origin and milk types have a significant impact on price, while retailer format (hypermarket versus online store)and cheese characteristics (cured versus not cured)are nor significant. Specifically, while cheeses from regions of Minho e Trás os Montes and Alentejo are expected to have price premiums, cheeses from regions of Beiras and Ilhas are expected to have discounts. Also, cheeses made with mixed milk and goat's and ewe's milk all have positive effects on price regarding cow's milk (base category). |
| Date: | 2004–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa04p41&r=mkt |
| By: | Joachim Thiel |
| Abstract: | One of the most remarkable and successful regional science publications of the last years is certainly Richard Florida's "The Rise of the Creative Class". Based on the key idea that today's economy is increasingly "powered by human creativity" Florida holds that the presence of a non-conformist creative workforce is the crucial factor for the future competitiveness and development of cities and regions. This in turn will substantially change the subject of local economic policy in that it has to be increasingly directed towards the living conditions of this workforce. The suggested paper, despite acknowledging the vital importance of an individualistic – or 'reflexive' – labour force for the (not only) spatial organisation of the future economy, will be strongly critical with Florida's arguments, maintaining that he starts from a too self-evident and monocausal understanding of the relation between creativity/individualism and economic success. Basically it is held that the way from non-conformism to business is full of ambivalences, uncertainties, frictions etc. which have to be dealt with. The spatial dimension of the future economy is based precisely on and shaped by these 'refractions', respectively by the ways to handle them. The argument will be underpinned by highlighting the evidence of an in-depth study of the spatial structure and spatial change of the German advertising industry. |
| Date: | 2004–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa04p222&r=mkt |
| By: | Andrew Beer; Terry L. Clower; Alaric Maude; Graham Haughton |
| Abstract: | This paper discusses the commonalities and differences in local and regional economic development (LRED) across England, Northern Ireland, Australia and the US. The focus is on four themes: the institutional characteristics of the respondents; governance, partners and partnerships; the objectives, regional capacity building and business service activities of responding agencies; and the self-assessment of effectiveness by LRED organisations. Our analysis is based on a survey of LRED agencies in the above-noted countries using a common questionnaire that was slightly adapted for each study area. Using logistic regression, we identify the practices and strategies of local and regional economic development agencies that are associated with higher levels of effectiveness. When all participating nations’ LRED organisations are jointly evaluated, several practices emerge as being positively related to agency performance including being actively involved in industrial estates, labour training and recruitment, marketing the agency’s region to international markets, and promoting industry clusters. Also showing as being positively related to performance are variables identifying whether or not the agency subsidized relocation costs for new businesses, helps local companies access venture capital, engages in education and training programs targeted at youths, and enhances networking opportunities for local business people. Interestingly, we found statistically significant negative relationships between agency effectiveness and engaging in tourism promotion activities, training minority groups, and conducting target industry studies, though this may reflect a correlation between certain activities and problematic economic environments. Though our research methodology of relying on self-assessed performance measures does not allow us to draw sweeping conclusions, we are confident that these findings provide a beginning for identifying a set of best practices that are appropriate for LRED organisations in a multinational setting. |
| Date: | 2004–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa04p626&r=mkt |
| By: | Oto Hudec; Natasa Urbancikova |
| Abstract: | Strategic Planning is a creative, practical planning process for community change. Community Strategic Planning produces a visionary statement of what the community wants to be 10 to 20 years in the future. There is no one ideal strategic planning process that has worked for all communities and community groups. Different communities have successfully used a variety of processes. The article describes methods important for evolvement of the situation analysis, particularly the method of representative public opinion survey that provides basis for SWOT analysis and formulation of the strategic goals. The method reflecting public’s attitudes, values, and beliefs regarding community development is demonstrated on the example of two cities located in the Eastern part of the Slovak Republic - Košice and Spišská Nová Ves. Key words: Community Strategic Planning, Community Needs Analysis, City and Place Marketing, Strategic Planning Methodology, Public Opinion Survey, Questionnaires design. |
| Date: | 2004–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa04p632&r=mkt |
| By: | Fernando Lera; Margarita Billón |
| Abstract: | The "New Economy" is a concept that is associated with the growth of the US economy in the second half of the nineties, which were characterised by high growth in GDP. In attempt to find an explanation for these events, research to date cites the main determinant to be the marked rise in labour productivity that came about as a result of the impact of Information and Communication Technologies, particularly the Internet. The purpose of the present study is to examine the phenomenon that has arisen around this "new or digital economy" and the development of the Internet from the macro and microeconomic viewpoint and then show how the Spanish regions lag behind the rest of Europe in this respect. Firstly, we present international evidences of the positive impact of ICT in terms of labour and multifactorial productivity in national economies, industrial sectors and firms. These evidences are contrasted with some spanish studies. Secondly, we measure the importance of ICT in Europe. We base our method on a set of indicators, classified into three areas: infrastructure and size of sector, use of Internet and electronic commerce, and social and economic effects. We then examine the Spanish situation electronic commerce, and social and economic effects. We then examine the Spanish situation within the context of the rest of Europe, and discover a major north-south digital divide affecting certain areas, along with major interregional disparities. As far as Internet development is concerned, there are major regional differences. The paper points out the fact that Spain registers the highest standard deviation, in other words, the greatest regional differences, which, reflected in terms of different synthetic/composite indicators. This lag in progress contrasts with Spain's public policies aimed at promoting the Internet. Nevertheless, Internet development can provide the opportunity to close this gap within the EU. It may, however, increase discrepancies between the regions, by giving regions with higher per capita income an advantage in terms of productivity and competitiveness, unless a determined effort is made to implement actions aimed at developing the information society. |
| Date: | 2004–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa04p307&r=mkt |
| By: | José Manuel Viegas; Helder Cristovão; João Filipe Camisão Caio Vieira; Elisabete A. Silva |
| Abstract: | Some parts of the Portuguese railway infrastructure have been neglected through time: Rural lines have been abandoned, investment in new infrastructure is sometimes delayed, and marketing strategies to keep or attract more users have not been pursued. Simultaneously, problems with urban congestion, pollution and mobility for the young, the elderly, the poor, and the handicapped are putting forward the discussion about new or more sustainable modes of transportation. Common sense of public officials, other lobbying groups, and the locals demand new, trendy train lines. And while some axes may have the potential to justify rail lines, others seem to lack population or funding to be enabled. One major problem in order to evaluate the worthiness of these rail projects has been the fact that very often the studies of travel demand and physical implantation are done separately. Travel demand analysis is done based on the four-step model (trip generation, distribution, modal split, and network assignment) using survey data and the network system, using a relatively wide zoning. The importance of interacting with other, finer, information (i.e. slope, density of population, environmental sensitivity, or other socio-economic and land use information) with the development of the travel analysis demand will enhance the analysis/results and increase the chance of proposing lines that are both optimal in location and will have the maximum use by the citizens. Off the shelf software is still unable to perform this kind of operations. Some perform the analysis using existing networks, and no information on the land is available besides the zoning system, other software propose lines accordingly to land slopes, but no trip information is included. GIS packages have the capacity to include the land information and some have some transportation analysis, but are lacking computation capabilities and algorithms to perform analysis similar to off-the-shelf transportation software. In order to develop this kind of integrated analysis it is important to have a good knowledge of the algorithms and analysis required by transportation and of the tools/opportunities offered by the GIS packages. This paper presents a methodology that integrates the transportation algorithms with the GIS functionalities, using excel macro-language. The result is an interaction of both travel demand analysis and site selection. The characteristics of the place constrain the travel demand analysis, but on its own the travel demand analysis define not only the buffer of the train line, but systematically enhance the shape of the line and the location of the stops each time the results of a phase of the travel demand analysis is outputted. This paper offers guidelines for those developing travel demand analysis including some site selection criteria, and it can be a starting point for those of whom intend to develop further application of in the GIS fields. |
| Date: | 2004–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa04p602&r=mkt |
| By: | Ebru Kerimoglu |
| Abstract: | The trends and developments in the tourism industry show that the touristic activities are among the most significant economic and social facts of the 20th century. The Europe preserves its stake in the developing tourism sector of the world. The countries of the European Union do have a position in the lead as far as the international tourist circulation is concerned, in the form of primary resource and major destination. The citizens of the European Union also represent a considerable market for the countries seeking to have a place on the global tourism markets. Most of the international visitors to Turkey are from European Union, who also represents a significant potential for Turkish tourism. This study examines the holiday making ratios, profiles, demands and behaviors of the European Union travelers and gives an analysis and assessment of such considerable potential. Turkey is a special location in the world with regard to its cultural inheritance while Istanbul is its major city in relation with international connections. Istanbul’s significant role in history with its dynamic geographical position and its traditional architecture and the civilizations hosted by the city would well cause Istanbul’s being worthy of a share its deserves from the global tourism market and the tourism functions, that is considered to be most efficient tool in marketing Istanbul, has a significance in the city’s position and future. Istanbul has various urban spaces in the form of touristic products. For providing the development in relation with certain strategies of tourism planning, the demands and preferences of the travelers to Istanbul should be determined. Analyzing the visitors from that point of view has a considerable importance for the potential visitors of the city while planned development shall provide the opportunity to obtain the guiding data. In the light of these data, determining the planning strategies for Istanbul and developing the recommendations that could be used for a tourism plan for sustainable tourism supported by tourism policies in both public and private sectors and planners are very significant. This study focuses on the visitors from European Union and evaluates their trends and behaviors while making deductions from the potentials they own. The study gives the holiday periods of the Europeans, their length of stay in the destinations, the number of persons attending travels, the destinations they prefer, the transportation modes they use, travel organizations as well as the problems they face, and in that parallellity the characteristics of the European Union citizens visiting Turkey and Istanbul were analyzed with comparisons. In conclusion, the general vacation trends and behaviors of the European Union citizens and their relations with the experiences they face in Turkey is very considerable with the current and potential evaluations in the European market which in fact is very important for Turkey. |
| Date: | 2004–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa04p410&r=mkt |
| By: | Ute Hansen |
| Abstract: | In the State of Schleswig-Holstein the strategy of economic policy is based on a concept which is known as “Cluster Building”. An economic cluster initiates the networking of all participants in a value-added chain. The objective is to bundle the potentials and competences for increasing the innovation power and competitiveness of the partners in a cluster. Because of internet-technology, business and government networking in a rural area will obtain a driving force. Internet-technologies, like infrastructure, applications, platforms, broadband, enable the business processes between companies, research institutes and government to be networked. eBusiness and eGovernment/eAdministration will cause a fundamental structural change of the private and public sector. Owing to this development, there is a new demand for Economic Policy and Technology Policy. With the strategy of eClustering this demand is taken into account. The partners in an eCluster are networked by processes which are more and more standardised and so able to be supported by online-applications. An eCluster needs a central infrastructure and services. Knowledgemanagement, eLearning, eMarketplaces, personnel management and last but not least eGovernment are the main processes and services of an eCluster. Funding activities focuses on innovative eClustering-projects in the State of Schleswig-Holstein: They should on the one hand increase the demand for broadband infrastructure and services and therewith for the regional development of TIMES (Telecommunication, Information Technology, Multimedia, Entertainment, Security) and on the other hand support networking and eBusiness. |
| Date: | 2004–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa04p650&r=mkt |
| By: | David Edward Pitfield |
| Abstract: | This paper, after providing an introduction to the operating context of low cost carriers in Europe, examines the competitive pricing behaviour of airlines. Data is collected by route for cases where more than one airline is in direct competition. Data on fares is obtained from the internet for two airlines with competing services to Alicante, Prague and Malaga, departing from Nottingham East Midlands Airport in the UK, for the six working weeks up to and including the actual departure. These destinations represent leisure traffic. Two domestic business destinations were also selected to illustrate price competition on business demand where departure times were within a maximum of 20 minutes of each other and a further examination of competing services from London Gatwick (LGW) was made. Cross Correlation Analysis is used to examine whether, subject to a variety of lags, the prices offered by one airline can be seen to be both correlated with the other price series and to lead it. This provides some insight into the pricing strategy adopted by the competitors. Autocorrelation Functions (ACFs) and Partial Autocorrelation Functions (PACFs) can also be produced on the prices offered by each airline. These suggest the nature of the ARIMA model that can be fitted to the series and these models can show the degree to which series values are correlated with their own past values and whether a reasonable model could be based on an ARIMA approach. The relative strength of these two relationships is examined; are prices more closely explained by the competitor's actions or the airlines own past price setting? |
| Date: | 2004–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa04p680&r=mkt |
| By: | António Soares; Gonçalo Santinha |
| Abstract: | Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and their widespread have produced profound changes at economic and social levels. We are now in what is known as Information Society. The ways in which people, firms, institutions and governments deal with ICTs and understand their impacts is an important issue. One of the main characteristics of Information Society is the growing competition between agents through innovation. By innovation we mean the capacity to manage creatively the knowledge as an answer to changes in social needs and in technology. Hence, innovation occurs as a means of competitive advantage. The paper addresses this issue by highlighting the importance of innovation for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), which are by far the most relevant actors in European Economy. It is argued that the access and use of information as well as the existence of interaction between agents are key factors for innovation. ICTs, if used in a correct and efficient matter, can play an important role by inducing and help SMEs to innovate. In spite of helping firms overcoming a wide range of barriers, the adoption and the search for efficiency in ICTs use can however become a problem. This is even more significant concerning SMEs and particularly those located in peripheral regions. In fact, acknowledging the existence of a regional digital divide and a digital divide by company size, the European Commission is developing several actions in order to face and overcome these problems. The paper addresses several initiatives undertaken by the European Commission since the Lisbon summit at March 2000. More recently, the European regional policies have changed from simply getting SMEs connected to the Internet to the effective integration of ICTs into business processes. As a conclusion, the authors argue that Digital Policies should take into account that ICT adoption and use by SMEs, cannot be regarded as a panacea to solve the problems of firms and regional development. Regional policies to help SMEs to adopt ICT must be integrated (in a coherent way) within broader regional strategies. |
| Date: | 2004–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa04p435&r=mkt |
| By: | Achraf AYADI (Institut National des Télécommunications d'Evry) |
| Abstract: | The convergence of the Internet and mobile networks creates new opportunities and applications. Treating mobile business as simply an extension to the traditional web could result in missing out unique differentiated qualities for new value-added possibilities. Mobile Banking is considered to be one of the most value-added and important mobile service available. The current research examined technological changes in mobile networks and innovative attributes of Mobile Internet. It has advanced the theoretical framework of innovation in service to develop a customer centric analysis of mBanking value proposition. The article goes on to discuss critical factors in the diffusion of mBanking and explores reasons of failure and further prospects of success. |
| Keywords: | Mobile Banking |
| JEL: | O P |
| Date: | 2005–08–24 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wpa:wuwpdc:0508010&r=mkt |
| By: | Andreas Diekmann (ETH Zurich, Department of Social Sciences & Humanities); Wojtek Przepiorka (ETH Zurich, Department of Social Sciences & Humanities) |
| Abstract: | In online interactions in general, but especially in interactions between buyers and sellers on internet-auction platforms, the interacting parties must deal with trust and cooperation problems. Whether a rating system is able to foster trust and cooperation through reputation and without an external enforcer is an open question. We therefore explore through ecological analysis different buyer and seller strategies in terms of their success and their contribution to supporting or impeding trust and cooperation. In our agent-based model, the interaction between a buyer and a seller is defined by a one-shot trust game with a reputation mechanism. In every interaction, a buyer has complete information about a seller's past behavior. We find that cooperation evolves under two conditions even in the absence of an external sanctioning authority. On the one hand, some minimal fraction of buyers must make use of the sellers’ reputation in their buying strategies and, on the other hand, trustworthy sellers must be given opportunities to gain a good reputation through their cooperative behavior. Despite the apparent usefulness of the reputation mechanism, a small number of deceitful sellers are able to hold their ground. |
| Keywords: | trust game, reputation, agent-based simulation |
| JEL: | C9 |
| Date: | 2005–08–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wpa:wuwpex:0508005&r=mkt |
| By: | Lars Glanzmann; Nathalie Grillon; Christian Kruse; Alain Thierstein |
| Abstract: | The concept of ‘polycentric spatial development’, a central principle of the European Spatial Development Perspective, is closely linked to the concept of ‘sustainable urban development’. But ‘polycentricity’ has different significance at different spatial scales. Within a European context, polycentricity can refer to functional connectivity (supported by developments in ICT and transportation), between global “gateway” cities such as London, Paris and Frankfurt on the one hand, and the utilisation of global economic and knowledge flows coming into these cities for the benefit of other EU cities and regions on the other hand. At a finer geographical scale, ‚polycentricity’ refers to outward diffusion from major cities to smaller ones over a wide area, and focuses on the local linkages that arise from this process. POLYNET is a joint research program of eight European university institutes, funded by the EU program Interreg IIIB Northwestern Europe (NWE). The project is focusing attention on a new phenomenon as far as it refers to the polycentric ‘Mega-City-Region’ in NWE which in turn is characterised by connectivity in an ‘information’ or ‘network’ society. POLYNET examines functional relationships and information flows (material/transportation and virtual/ICT) associated with service sector business activity (banking, insurance, law, accounting, advertising, logistics, management and design consulting) within and between eight major Northwest European polycentric ‘Mega-City-Regions’: South East England; Delta Metropolis, Netherlands; Rhine-Main, Germany; Île-de-France; Dublin, Ireland; Northern Switzerland / Zurich; Rhine-Ruhr, Germany and Brussels, Belgium. The paper first presents the methodological and empirical approaches applied, secondly identifies the polycentric patterns of the European Metropolitan Region of Northern Switzerland / Zurich. A third section describes the analysis of connectivity and inter-relationship of the metropolitan region of Northern Switzerland with regard to other polycentric metropolitan regions. Section four presents an outlook on potential implications for sustainable management of the metropolitan region of Northern Switzerland. |
| Date: | 2004–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa04p440&r=mkt |
| By: | Achraf AYADI (Institut National des Télécommunications d'Evry); Chantal AMMI (Institut National des Télécommunications d'Evry) |
| Abstract: | L’explosion du nombre de terminaux mobiles dans le monde, au point de dépasser celui des ordinateurs et des postes de télévision, est un fait économique important. Avec les nouveaux réseaux de télécommunication et l’accroissement des capacités de traitement des terminaux, de nouvelles possibilités d’interagir et de communiquer avec les clients, y compris via le réseau Internet, ont fait leur apparition. Ainsi, l’Internet Mobile apporte des opportunités d’élargissement de la palette des services proposés sur le marché sous de nouvelles formes mais aussi suivant d’autres « modèles économiques ». Le secteur des services, caractérisé par sa forte sensibilité aux innovations dans les technologies de l’information, se trouve au centre de ces changements qui ne seront pas sans impact sur la stratégie des acteurs ou leurs relations avec la clientèle. Partant de la littérature sur l’innovation dans les services, nous étudions les tendances technologiques les plus récentes dans l’Internet Mobile. Ensuite, nous analysons les facteurs de développement des services mobiles dans le secteur bancaire et leur impact sur la chaîne de valeur. Enfin, nous présentons les conclusions en terme de perspectives stratégiques pour la banque mobile et ses évolutions futures. MOTS CLES Création de valeur, réseaux mobiles, Internet Mobile, Innovation, Banque Mobile |
| Keywords: | Mobile Banking |
| JEL: | O P |
| Date: | 2005–08–24 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wpa:wuwpdc:0508009&r=mkt |
| By: | E. Fabio Arcangeli; Giorgio Padrin |
| Abstract: | Libre Software communities are among the most interesting and advanced socio-economic laboratories on the Net. In terms of directions of Regional Science research, this paper addresses a simple question: “Is the socio-economics of digital nets out of scope for Regional Science, or might the latter expand to a cybergeography of digitally enhanced territories ?” As for most simple questions, answers are neither so obvious nor easy. The authors start drafting one in a positive sense, focussing upon a file rouge running across the paper: endogenous spaces woven by socio-economic processes. The drafted answer declines on an Evolutionary Location Theory formulation, together with two computational modelling views. Keywords: Complex networks, Computational modelling, Economics of Internet, Endogenous spaces, Evolutionary location theory, Free or Libre Software, Path dependence, Positionality. |
| Date: | 2004–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa04p438&r=mkt |
| By: | Caterina Cirelli; Leonardo Mercatanti; Carmelo Maria Porto; Elena Di Blasi; Enrico Nicosia |
| Abstract: | In the present-day post-industrial society and in a globalised economy there is a strong tendency towards standardization and homologation. If we consider one of the most traditional urban functions - the commercial one - analysing what is happening in the centre of the cities of all the developed countries of the world, we notice a process of standardization regarding the offer, both in the sense of the single articles sold and in the sense of the commercial area in all its complexity (uniformity of the showcases for the exposure, diminution of the historical shops with sale of distinctive articles, diffusion of the branches of national and international chains and the phenomenon of franchising). Therefore, the central areas of our cities tend to be more and more alike. Obviously this is fruit of a more complex process, that is concretized in the tendency towards the diversification of the distributive network through the rapid diffusion of hypermarkets and commercial centres in the outskirts of cities and in the changed behaviour of the consumers, more and more directed to American styles of consumption. What kind of role will the more traditional commercial structures that characterize the Italian historical centres have in the future? Despite the fact that these last ones are, at the moment, under considerable pressure that pushes towards a more radical change, there is the possibility however that the particular "commercial landscape" that characterizes them could itself become a new model of development capable of promoting the urban culture, close to the functionalistic model, currently in expansion, totally directed towards the peripheral spaces. Catania is a city where we find, to a great extent, the evolutionary characteristics of the southern urban system, but in which we find even more the changes and the tendencies present in the cities of the more developed regions when processes of decentralization of economic activities, residential activities and of the social structures are outlined. The commercial patrimony of Catania, besides the cultural one, represents one of the pivots on which the identity of the city is based. It represents a resource for the development of the town and a stimulation of tourism. This research investigates the solidity and the potentialities of traditional commerce in the central areas of the city of Catania in relation to the dynamics of development of the external commercial centres. |
| Date: | 2004–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa04p583&r=mkt |