On diversity, “localness” and reputation

On diversity, “localness” and reputation

Article Type: Editorial From: Journal of Place Management and Development, Volume 2, Issue 2

This issue of the Journal of Place Management and Development again reflects the Editorial Team’s wish to combine in one place content which is relevant to both academics and practitioners. As always, the journal seeks to focus on current debates in place management and set out the implications for both theory and practice. This issue’s papers are authored by colleagues based in Australia, Canada and the UK – testament to the journal’s international scope. The papers presented herein highlight several key themes pertinent to place: namely diversity, “localness” and reputation.

Our first paper is conceptual in nature and is authored by Robyn Eversole, an anthropologist at the University of Tasmania. In her paper, she uses a fluvial metaphor to set out how various ways of thinking can come together when places – including the development and management thereof – are considered. Entitled “Five rivers and where they meet (cross-disciplinary reflections on development, policy and place)”, the role of key concepts pertaining to place management is exemplified. It is shown how participation, distinctiveness, knowledge, relationships and values come together and need to be borne in mind for successful outcomes to be effected. In essence, she also underscores the need for researchers and practitioners working in this domain to recognise its inherent multi-disciplinarity and respond accordingly. Places, like people, are not one-dimensional and there is a danger in being limited by the “silos” which predominate in so many settings, both public and private. The author’s framework is likely to assist in future considerations as to how places might best be managed.

Following this, Dirk Reiser and Stuart Crispin draw on notions of image and perception in their academic paper, which is centred on Tasmania’s capital, Hobart. In their paper (Local perceptions of the reimaging process: the case of the Sullivans Cove waterfront precinct), the authors highlight the important role of “localness” in any regeneration strategy. Previously a working port, the post-industrial age has seen Sullivans Cove alter its focus to become a tourism, entertainment and leisure precinct. Local perceptions and sensibilities may often be ignored when places are developed – to the detriment of those who continue to live and work in an area long after the developers have departed. This paper shows how key local stakeholders were involved actively in the reimaging of the Cove and were largely supportive of the reimaging process. As well as illustrating how reputation plays a part in considerations of place, the notion of diversity is again to the fore – diversity of stakeholders, their opinions and perceptions. The authors conclude this as the academic papers in this issue.

Our third paper, by Emily Anderson, Chuck Chakrapani and Tony Hernandez, is entitled “Marketing the downtown through geographically enhanced consumer segmentation”. Through the application of questionnaire research, the authors present a segmentation analysis of downtown visitors in Toronto. Recognising that visitors to a given place are characterised by their heterogeneity, four key segments are identified which are defined, amongst other things, by their geographical proximity to the downtown. These segments, the authors argue, can then be targeted with events and promotions which are tailored to their specific needs. Ideally, of course, each visitor to a given place would be treated as a “segment of one”. In reality, budgetary and other considerations make such a situation, however desirable, virtually impossible to enact. The research reported here represents a more nuanced attitude towards place marketing – one which is clearly preferable to the mass-marketing that has traditionally been practised. The principles outlined should be replicable by town and city centre managers elsewhere in the world.

John Orchard and Alan Hallsworth focus on the issue of changing retail landscapes in the next paper (Retail regeneration in Southampton: seeking the bigger picture). New format developments in the Hampshire City have resulted in consequent changes to consumer behaviour and business rate arrangements at the micro level. The authors contend that the reduced bargaining power of small and medium enterprises retailers and a lack of representation have not served this particular group of traders well. Parallels are drawn with debates at the national level centred on competition in the grocery sector. Again, issues of diversity are emphasised – a vibrant retail sector surely requires a diversity of ownership structures and offerings if centres are to remain attractive places to visit. The role of “localness” is also illustrated in the paper. For those who live there, the city centre represents their local area, their “patch”, if you will – arguably, it is more than just a place to work, shop or recreate. The (re)population of city centres has been increasingly apparent over recent decades, but encouraging people to inhabit central areas requires an adequate level of service provision. In many large cities, and for a variety of reasons, medical, education and lower-order retail needs have not kept up with demand.

Our fifth and final paper concentrates on a recent initiative of the Association of Town Centre Management and is entitled “Light night: an ‘enlightening’ place marketing experience”. The authors (Salim Jiwa, J. Andrés Coca-Stefaniak, Martin Blackwell and Toyubur Rahman) report on how the Nuit Blanche (White Night) concept has been imported into Britain, with five cities currently trialling such nocturnal events. In the 1970s, the first “Reclaim the Night” marches took place in Britain, with the accent on making the streets safer for women. Whilst the emphasis and activities of Light Night are of course, different from Reclaim the Night, there are some parallels which deserve consideration. The fact remains that many would-be visitors, of both genders, still avoid town and city centres at night, largely due to the fact that such places have a reputation for public drunkenness and violence. Culture-led events such as Light Night help to reorient perceptions and encourage a wider cross-section of society into central areas after dark. It is through initiatives such as Light Night that the 24-Hour City can become a reality for the many rather than the few.

As readers will be aware, place management is an evolving field – one which crosses traditional boundaries prevalent in academia, policy-making and practice. The papers presented here reflect the multiplicity of approaches that are an inherent consequence of the various spatial milieux we inhabit. We hope you enjoy the content of the current issue.

John Byrom, Cathy Parker, Simon Quin