Exploring Stakeholder Participation and Representations in Region Branding: The Case of Northamptonshire, UK

Collaborative multi-stakeholder processes for regional development are not novel, but they are usually inhibited by complex management issues and power politics. Peripheral regions face the greatest likelihood of economic decline due to the aggregation of activities in the largest cities. Stakeholder-led place branding strategies have been known to create a distinctive identity and narrative about a place or location to garner recognition. However, few models and recommendations have been developed for adoption in resource-constrained regions. Given this socio-economic context specificity, the present study suggests a ‘Conceptual Framework for Multi-Stakeholder Place Brand Governance’ for developing region branding strategies. The theoretical notions of social representations, regional cohesion, brand architecture and participatory place branding are reviewed and examined in the case context of Northamptonshire. The research adopts a qualitative, single case study strategy to investigate the social representations and participation of institutional and community stakeholders. Data from semi-structured interviews, focus groups and secondary documents are thematically analysed. The findings reveal dominant social representations, historically unequal development in urban and rural areas, and the marginalised position or feeling of neglect in the case context. A market-oriented approach is evident in the narrow interpretation of place branding as a tourism marketing exercise. An in depth exploration of stakeholders’ assumed and expected roles reveals the intertwined issues of inclusiveness and legitimacy of place branding. Brand architecture strategies are suggested to manage the critical issues hindering a cohesive approach to region branding. The research aim is achieved by linking complex brand and stakeholder relationships under one framework. Special attention is paid to stakeholder management by conceptualising roles, relationships and mechanisms for multi-stakeholder place brand governance. Finally, the practical implications for widening participation in a resource-constrained region are discussed. The recommendations are directed towards practitioners and policymakers who play a prominent role in brand governance since institutional recognition and support are found to be central to diversifying the social representations and participation in place branding.