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Two concepts of strategies
A strategy is historically defined by generals. Transferred to a civil situation you might say that "formal strategic planning is an effort to duplicate what goes on in the mind of a brilliant intuitive manager". Defined this way, strategies often become something for the distinguished leaders to handle.
However, today it is not possible to define strategies like that. It is instead quite necessary for the whole organisation to take active part when formulating strategic goals. Most people today define strategy as setting of long- term goals, determination of courses of action and allocation of resources to achieve the objectives.
Adaptation to urban planning
You can use this definition for physical urban planning development strategies:
All good powers must pull in the same direction, having continuous access to the same knowledge about problems and possibilities in the future.
If working with an regeneration project, you must face the society around when dealing with physical planning, economy, social problems and ecological adaptations. You must work in the
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Malmö is a member of the EDURC committee of the Euro Cities - Economic Development and Urban Regeneration Committee. A group of sixteen cities have been working for with the project "Development Strategies in Major European Cities". The project is led by Lyon and it will end with a conference there this year in September 14-15.
The content of this article is mainly a result of that co-operation.
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opposite direction to the generals not from top to the bottom, but
upwards from the bottom. You must deal with all good powers like landowners, engaged citizens, enthusiasts, officials, organisations, etc.
You need to work seriously and continuously with four concepts during the regeneration process: Visions, Participation, Partnership and Important Events. The aim is to reach social consensus on the certain ideas.
Visions
You must formulate a clear vision for your work. Break up the overall vision into steps, visible for the whole society. Work with the vision during the whole process, sharpen it, and if necessary change it. To your help you might use a group of various professional persons for brainstorming: chief editors, experts in different fields, one or two presidents of important industries and so forth. This group can perhaps only twice or three times per year, but the group is needed and cannot be replaced.
Participation
You also need a consultation group. Start with a few real enthusiasts. Keep them well informed and listen to their perhaps first crazy ideas. Further on you might organise your consultation group stronger and also invite existing groups or communities.
Partnership
The easiest group to establish is real estate owners, contractors, controllers and officials of various kinds. But be aware of representatives in the group saying that this is the only group needed. If you act only with this group, you will get into trouble with other interest groups very soon.
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Important events
The society nowadays is very closely related to various kinds of information. By connecting your project to an
Important Event, it will get more power. The Olympic Games in Barcelona or the Bridge across the Öresund are examples of Important Events. But there are also lots of local big events worth pointing out, like a new ferry line, pulling down old unpopular monuments or buildings, or laying out new avenues with trees. Other events are political elections, visits of kings, queens or presidents and exhibitions.
Cross-Border Questions can be a fifth concept. There might be important questions which concern more than just your own city. We in Malmö are for instance just now facing a cross-border situation with Copenhagen. But you might say that cross-border co-operation are special cases of big events.
By Lars Brattberg
Co-Chairman of the Commission
on Urban Planning, City of Malmö
e-mail: lars.brattberg@malmo.se |
