Skip to main content

Strategic Planning and Web-Based Community Engagement in Small Inner Towns: Case Study Municipality of Nemea – Greece

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Computational Science and Its Applications – ICCSA 2021 (ICCSA 2021)

Abstract

The present paper aims at supporting small settlements, located in the countryside, towards paving long-term sustainable development pathways. To this end, a methodological framework is developed and implemented in a specific case study area, the lagging-behind region of Nemea. The ultimate goal is the mobilization of local assets in order for the place’s attractiveness to be enhanced and ambitious trajectories of economic growth, but also social and territorial cohesion, to be accomplished. The proposed framework is grounded in the concept of place-based approach and strategic planning; and integrates various planning processes, techniques and tools such as spatial data management, scenario planning, as well as F2F and ICT-enabled community engagement. The empirical results unveil the small settlements and rural communities’ deficit in online interaction, governance schemes and community engagement practices, a gap that needs to be bridged so as attractiveness and future sustainable development objectives, in a European territory of equal opportunities, to be attained.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Achinas, S., Horjus, J., Achinas, V., Jan Willem Euverink, G.: A PESTLE analysis of biofuels energy industry in Europe. Sustainability 11, 5981 (2019). https://doi.org/10.3390/su11215981

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Barca, F.: An agenda for a reformed cohesion policy. A Place-Based Approach to Meeting European Union Challenges and Expectations. European Commission, Brussels (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Beer, A., Mckenzie, F., Blazek, J., Sotarauta, M., Ayres, S.: Every place matters: towards effective place-based policy. Regional Studies Policy Impact Books, Regional Science Association (2020). ISBN: 978-0-367-62649-5 (print)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bilbao-Osorio, B., Rodríguez-Pose, A.: From R&D to innovation and economic growth in the EU. Growth Change 35(4), 434–455 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Bishop, J.: Collaboration and consensus. Town Country Plann. 67(3), 111–114 (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Boyce, P.: PESTLE analysis - definition and template (2020). https://boycewire.com/pestle-analysis-definition-and-template/. Accessed 5 June 2020

  7. Brabham, C.D.: Crowdsourcing the public participation process for planning projects. Plan. Theory 8(3), 242–262 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Burch, S.: Accelerating a just transition to smart, sustainable cities. Center for International Governance Innovation, Policy Brief No. 164 - February, pp. 1–8 (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Carver, S., Evans, A., Kingston, R., Turton, I.: Public participation, GIS, and cyber-democracy: evaluating on-line spatial decision support systems. Environ. Plann. B. Plann. Des. 28(6), 907–921 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. COM(2008)616: Green Paper on Territorial Cohesion - Turning Territorial Diversity into Strength. Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee, Brussels, 6 October (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Courtney, P., Moseley, M.: Determinants of local economic performance: experience from rural England. Local Econ. 23, 305–318 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. CSIL Centre for Industrial Studies: Territorial Agenda 2020 put in practice - enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of cohesion policy by a place-based approach. Synthesis Report, vol. I. European Commission (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Dalal-Clayton, B., Bass, S. (eds.): Sustainable Development Strategies: A Resource Book. Earthscan Publications Ltd., London (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Dawson, M., et al.: Strategic thinking – scenario planning for an uncertain future. In: OzWater Conference, Brisbane, 8–10 May. Australian Water Association, Swinburne Research Bank (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  15. De Noronha, T., Vaz, E.: Theoretical foundations in support of small and medium towns. Sustainability 12, 5312 (2020). https://doi.org/10.3390/su12135312

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Dijkstra, L., Poelman, H.: Remote rural regions: how proximity to a city influences the performance of rural regions. Regional Focus, 01/2008. European Commission, Brussels (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Elisei, P. (ed.): Strategic Territorial Agenda for Small and Middle-sized Towns and Urban Systems. Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia (UIRS), Ljubljana (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  18. European Commission (EC): Territorial agenda of the European Union 2020 - towards an inclusive, smart and sustainable Europe of diverse regions (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  19. European Commission (EC): Territorial Agenda 2030 - #TerritorialAgenda a future for all places. In: Informal Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Spatial Planning and Territorial Development and/or Territorial Cohesion, Germany, 1 December (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  20. European Commission (EC): The New Leipzig Charter – The Transformative Power of Cities for the Common Good. In: Adopted at the Informal Ministerial Meeting on Urban Matters on 30 November (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Evans-Cowley, J., Hollander, J.: The new generation of public participation: internet-based participation tools. Plan. Pract. Res. 25(3), 397–408 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Fishkin, S.J.: The Voice of the People, Public Opinion and Democracy. Yale University Press, New Heaven (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Friedmann, J.: Planning in the Public Domain: From Knowledge to Action. Princeton University Press, Princeton (1987). https://doi.org/10.1515/9780691214009

  24. Garau, C.: Citizen participation in public planning: a literature review. Int. J. Sci. 1, 21–44 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Garau, C., Desogus, G., Stratigea, A.: Territorial cohesion in insular contexts: assessing external attractiveness and internal strength of major Mediterranean islands. Eur. Plan. Stud. 28(12), 1–21 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2020.1840524

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Görmar, F., Lang, T., Nagy, E., Raagmaa, G.: Re-thinking regional and local policies in times of polarisation: an introduction. In: Lang, T., Görmar, F. (eds.) Regional and Local Development in Times of Polarisation. NGE, pp. 1–25. Springer, Singapore (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1190-1_1

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  27. Jones, R., Moisio, S.M., Weckroth, M.T.K., Luukkonen, J.M., Mayer, F., Miggelbrink, J.: Re-conceptualising territorial cohesion through the prism of spatial justice: critical perspectives on academic and policy discourses. In: Lang, T., Görmar, F. (eds.) Regional and Local Development in Times of Polarisation: Re-thinking Spatial Policies in Europe, pp. 1–24. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  28. Kitchin, R.: Decentering the smart city. In: Flynn, S. (Ed.) Equality in the City: Imaginaries of the Smart Future. Intellect, Bristol (2021). https://progcity.maynoothuniversity.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/PC-45-Decentring-the-smart-city.pdf. Accessed 22 Mar 2021

  29. Malý, J.: Small towns in the context of “borrowed size” and “agglomeration shadow” debates: the case of the South Moravian region (Czech Republic). Eur. Countryside 4, 333–350 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1515/euco-2016-0024

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Marava, N., Alexopoulos, A., Stratigea, A.: Barriers to empowering and engaging youth in sustainable urban development endeavours – experience gained from Korydallos municipality – Greece. Geogr. Res. Forum 40(1), 89–107 (2020). In: Ronen, Ο., Purian, R. (Eds.) Smart, Sustainable and Fair Cities, Special Issue

    Google Scholar 

  31. Muro, M., Whiton, J.: Big cities, small cities - and the gaps, October 2017. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2017/10/17/big-cities-small-cities-and-the-gaps/. Accessed 4 Feb 2019

  32. Naldi, L., Nilsson, P., Westlund, H., Wixe, S.: What is smart rural development? J. Rural. Stud. 40, 90–101 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Ortega, A., Pérez, F.A., Turianskyi, Y.: Technological justice: a G20 agenda. Economics Discussion Papers, No. 2018-58, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), Kiel (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  34. Przeybilovicz, E., et al.: Citizen participation in the smart city: findings from an international comparative study. Local Gov. Stud. 1–26 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1080/03003930.2020.1851204

  35. Rhodes, R.A.W.: Understanding Governance - Policy Networks, Governance, Reflexivity and Accountability. Open University Press, Philadelphia (1997). ISBN: 0-335-19727-2

    Google Scholar 

  36. Russo, A., Smith, I., Atkinson, R., Servillo, L., Madsen, B., Van der Borg, J.: ATTREG - the attractiveness of European regions and cities for residents and visitors. Applied Research 2013/1/7, Scientific Report. ISBN: 978-2-919777-26-6, ESPON 2013 Programme (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  37. Servillo, L., Atkinson, R., Russo, A.P.: Territorial attractiveness in EU urban and spatial policy: a critical review and future research agenda. Eur. Urban Reg. Stud. 19(4), 349–365 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1177/0969776411430289

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Servillo, L., Atkinson, R., Smith, I., Russo, A.P., Sykora, L., Demaziere, C.: Small and medium sized towns in Europe. Interim Report. ESPON, Luxemburg (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  39. Servillo, L., et al.: TOWN - Small and Medium Sized Towns in their Functional Territorial Context. Applied Research 2013/1/23, Final Report, Version 6, November 2014

    Google Scholar 

  40. Servillo, L., Russo, A.P., Barbera, F., Carrosio, G.: Inner peripheries: towards an EU place-based agenda on territorial peripherality. Ital. J. Plann. Pract. VI(1), 42–75 (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  41. Servillo, L., Atkinson, R., Hamdouch, A.: Small and medium-sized towns in Europe: conceptual, methodological and policy issues. Tijdschr. Econ. Soc. Geogr. 108(4), 365–379 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1111/tesg.12252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Somarakis, G., Stratigea, A.: Guiding informed choices on participation tools in spatial planning: an e-decision support system. Int. J. E-Plann. Res. 8(3), 38–61 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Stratigea, A.: ICTs for rural development: potential applications and barriers involved. NETCOM 25(3–4), 179–204 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Stratigea, A.: Theory and Methods of Participatory Planning. Greek Academic Electronic Books, Athens (2015). ISBN: 978-960-603-241-7 (in Greek)

    Google Scholar 

  45. Stratigea, A., Somarakis, G., Panagiotopoulou, M.: Smartening-up communities in less-privileged urban areas – the ‘DemoCU’ participatory cultural planning experience in Korydallos – Greece Municipality. In: Stratigea, A., Kyriakides, E., Nicolaides, Ch. (Eds.) Smart Cities in the Mediterranean - Coping with Sustainability Objectives in Small and Medium-Sized Cities and Island Communities, pp. 85–111. Springer, Switzerland. ISBN 987-3-319-54557-8 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54558-5

  46. Stratigea, A., Leka, A., Nicolaides, C.: Small and medium-sized cities and insular communities in the Mediterranean: coping with sustainability challenges in the smart city context. In: Stratigea, A., Kyriakides, E., Nicolaides, C. (eds.) Smart Cities in the Mediterranean. PI, pp. 3–29. Springer, Cham (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54558-5_1

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  47. Van der Heijden, K.: Scenarios – The Art of Strategic Conversation, 2nd edn. Wiley, Chichester (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  48. Van Leeuwen, E.: Urban-rural Interactions: Towns as Focus Points in Rural Development. Springer, Heidelberg (2010). ISBN 978-3-7908-2407-0. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7908-2407-0

  49. Van’t Klooster, S.A., Van Asselt, M.B.A.: Practising the scenario-axes technique. Futures 38(1), 15–30 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Panagiotopoulou, M., Stratigea, A. (2021). Strategic Planning and Web-Based Community Engagement in Small Inner Towns: Case Study Municipality of Nemea – Greece. In: Gervasi, O., et al. Computational Science and Its Applications – ICCSA 2021. ICCSA 2021. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 12953. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-86976-2_35

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-86976-2_35

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-86975-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-86976-2

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics