WORKSHOP FINDINGS and KEY-MESSAGES Leader+: Building the territory Michel Dubost

BUILDING THE TERRITORY FIRST REMARKS. WHY « BUILDING »? …. IT EXISTS THE TERRITORY!. AND LEADER IS NOT ACTING ALONE BUT CAN « CONTRIBUTE » TO SHAPE THE TERRITORY COMING BACK TO INTRODUCTORY MESSAGES FROM E. SARACENO, AND J-P. DICHTER AND MAKING A MIX OF IT « LEADER LEAVES - AS HERITAGE - CAPACITIES TO WORK TOGETHER FOR COMMON GOALS » SO, BUILDING THE TERRITORY COULD BE DEFINED AS « BUILDING CAPACITIES OF LOCAL PEOPLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR THEIR TERRITORY »

BUILDING THE TERRITORY A.DEVELOPING THE STRATEGY B.IMPLEMENTING THE STRATEGY C.ENSURING ECONOMIC VIABILITY D.DEVELOPING COMPETITIVENESS

BUILDING THE TERRITORY A. DEVELOPING THE STRATEGY 1)WHICH CONDITIONS FOR AGREEING ON A COMMON VISION? 2)HOW TO CREATE THE LOCAL STRATEGY AS A MOTOR FOR TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT? AND HOW TO DEVELOP AND CONSOLIDATE THE AREA BASED APPROACH? 3) HOW TO DEFINE THE TERRITORY, ENSURE HOMOGENEITY? QUALITY OF PLANNING IS CRITICAL, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT LEADER IS MOVING TO THE MAINSTREAM

BUILDING THE TERRITORY B. DEVELOPING THE STRATEGY 1) WHICH CONDITIONS FOR AGREEING ON A COMMON VISION?. STRATEGY MUST REFLECTS LOCAL PEOPLE INVOLVEMENT AS IT:. CREATES OWNERSHIP, IDENTIFICATION,. HELPS BUILDING CAPACITIES IN LOCAL POPULATION. AND, IS A CRITICAL ISSUE FOR ADMINISTRATION ALSO. BUT, THERE IS OFTEN « TENSIONS » IN DEVELOPING THE STRATEGY ABOUT WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT: - THE PROCESS, THE METHOD : INVOLVING PEOPLE? - OR THE OUTPUT, THE RESULT : THE STRATEGY? COMMON VISION IS MORE COMPROMISE THAN CONSENSUS

BUILDING THE TERRITORY B. DEVELOPING THE STRATEGY 2) HOW CAN THE STRATEGY BE A MOTOR FOR DEVELOPMENT? AND HOW TO CONSOLIDATE THE AREA BASED APPROACH?. « COMPLEMENTARITY » WITH « NON LEADER » ENVIRONMENT IS A MATTER OF LARGE DEBATE : SEE LATER « SYNERGIES ». A BALANCE MUST BE FOUND BETWEEN THE « AUTONOMY » OF THE LAG AND EXISTING POLICIES : THE STRATEGY MUST BE THE RESULT OF « PRAGMATIC - REALISTIC - NEGOTIATION » BETWEEN LOCAL EXPECTATIONS AND « OTHER » PLANNING PRIORITIES, …….………….. ANOTHER « COMPROMISE » TO ACT AS A GOOD ENGINE FOR AREA BASED DEVELOPMENT THE STRATEGY MUST BE A « MEETING POINT » OF BOTTOM UP AND TOP DOWN PLANNING EFFORTS. CLEAR, TRANSPARENT PROJECTS SELECTION CRITERIA WILL HELP IMPLEMENTING THE STRATEGY

BUILDING THE TERRITORY B. DEVELOPING THE STRATEGY 3) HOW TO DEFINE THE TERRITORY, ENSURE HOMOGENEITY?. LOCAL PEOPLE SHOULD DEFINE THEIR AREA AS SMALL ENOUGH TO KEEP A « SENSE OF BELONGING ». BUT NOT TOO SMALL, AS THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO HOLD PROJECTS THERE IS OFTEN A NEED, IN REMOTE, LOW DENSITY AREAS (SCANDINAVIAN, MOUNTAINOUS AND OTHER MARGINAL AREAS, INCLUDING ISLANDS) TO FIND … ANOTHER COMPROMISE! ONE GOOD SOLUTION MAY BE « SMALL AREAS + NETWORK »

BUILDING THE TERRITORY B. IMPLEMENTING THE STRATEGY 1) HOW TO ENSURE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES ARE RESPECTED? 2) HOW TO ENCOURAGE PARTNERS PARTICIPATION? 3) HOW TO ENSURE SYNERGY BETWEEN LEADER+ AND NON LEADER+ STRATEGIC PLANS IN THE TERRITORY?

BUILDING THE TERRITORY B. IMPLEMENTING THE STRATEGY 1) HOW TO ENSURE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES ARE RESPECTED? WHEN SELECTING ACTIONS. SELECT RIGHT TOPICS, RIGHT WORDS, RIGHT PEOPLE : « FILL THE STRATEGY WITH LIFE ». KEEP FLEXIBILITY : LET DOOR OPEN TO « SURPRISE », INNOVATION, AND POSSIBLY MID-TERM REVISION. KEEP GOOD BALANCE BETWEEN DEVELOPING LOCAL/SMALL SCALE ACTIONS AND WIDER / LONGER-TERM VISION KEY-TOOL: « EVALUATION », with « EASY TO MEASURE », LOCAL INDICATORS DIFFICULTY: MUCH DEPENDS ON RELATIONSHIP WITH « INSTITUTIONS » : THE LAG MUST SERVE AS MEDIATORWITH THEM FOR PROJECT SELECTION AND EVALUATION IMPORTANT: KEEP LEADER NOT ONLY AS METHODOLOGY, BUT AS PHILOSOPHY KEEP ITS 7 GOLDEN PRINCIPLES AS A WHOLE : THE « PACKAGE »

BUILDING THE TERRITORY B. IMPLEMENTING THE STRATEGY 2) HOW TO ENCOURAGE PARTNERS INVOLVEMENT? NEVER FORGET: LAG IS ANIMATION NOT ONLY ADMINISTRATION HOW TO ANIMATE AND ENCOURAGE INVOLVEMENT. MAKE THE MOST OF LOCAL « MEDIAS ». TO GIVE LOCAL PEOPLE A « MIRROR OF IDENTIFICATION ». DEVELOP DECENTRALIZED / THEMATIC GROUPS, IF NEEDED DIFFICULTIES. MAINTAIN ALIVE DISCUSSION GROUPS. WIDE GAPS REMAIN BETWEEN LAGs AND LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS IN TERMS OF KNOW HOW TO IMPLEMENT SUCCESSFULLY THE STRATEGY GAPS IN SELF -EVALUATION, USE OF INDICATORS, QUALITY MANAGEMENT IMPORTANT: LEADER PARTNERSHIP MUST HELP MAKING LOCAL PEOPLE SKILLED AND CONFIDENT IN THEIR SELF MANAGEMENT CAPACITIES

BUILDING THE TERRITORY B. IMPLEMENTING THE STRATEGY 3) HOW TO ENSURE SYNERGIES WITH NON LEADER STRATEGIES?. TO ENSURE SYNERGIES MUCH DEPENDS ON THE « POLICY AND LOCAL GOVERNANCE ENVIRONMENT »: SEE « PARTNERSHIP, LAGs as TOOL OF DEVELOPMENT » (SPECIAL MISSION, MULTI-SERVICE TOOL, SPECIALIZED INCUBATOR, COMPLEMENTARY TOOL, ….). DIFFICULTY IN CASE OF « LOW PROFILE » POLICY/GOVERNANCE ENVIRONMENT: MUCH DEPENDS ON RELATIONS WITH « INSTITUTIONS » IN ANYCASE, SAME QUESTION « IS LEADER A GIFT OR A MANDATE? » ALWAYS KEEP DOOR OPEN TO OUTSIDE (NETWORKING, COOPERATION) TO IMPROVE THE INNOVATION CAPACITIES OF LEADER IMPORTANT: THE SUCCESS OF LEADER DEPENDS MUCH ON ITS ABILITY TO DEVELOP SYNERGIES WITH THE « NON LEADER » IN ORDER TO GIVE EVIDENCE OF ITS SPECIFIC, CRUCIAL AND INNOVATIVE CONTRIBUTION TO BUILD THE TERRITORY. LAGs MUST BE AWARE OF THEIR ENVIRONMENT

BUILDING THE TERRITORY D. ENSURING ECONOMIC VIABILITY 1) HAS LEADER FUNDER ECONOMICALLY VIABLE PROJECTS? 2) HOW TO ENSURE THAT SELECTED PROJECTS WILL BE ÉCONOMICALLY VIABLE? ECONOMIC VIABILITY DEFINED AS « THE BEST CHOICE PROVIDED IN TERMS OF OVERALL BENEFITS AND COSTS FOR A LAG AREA » (Ivo Tartaglia)

BUILDING THE TERRITORY D. ENSURING ECONOMIC VIABILITY 1) HAS LEADER FUNDED ECONOMICALLY VIABLE PROJECTS? YES 3 EXAMPLES WERE GIVEN FROM SCOTLAND, AUSTRIA AND OTHER COUNTRIES ……

BUILDING THE TERRITORY D. ENSURING ECONOMIC VIABILITY 1) HOW TO ENSURE THAT SELECTED PROJECTS WILL BE ECONOMICALLY VIABLE?. BROAD BASED ORGANISATION IS CRUCIAL TO IDENTIFY AND SUPPORT - NOT ONLY FINANCIALLY - GOOD PROJECTS. LAG MUST BE MORE A « THINK TANK » THAN A « MONEY TANK ». LAGs CAN SUPPORT PROTOTYPES FOR FUTURE INCOME GENERATING ENTITIES: ANNUALLY DECREASING SUPPORT, SUPPORT TO FINAL BUSINESS PLAN, …. LAGs CAN SUPPORT « SKILLING PROTOTYPES » BRINGING NEW SKILLS, ADDED VALUE JOBS AND STIMULATING LOCAL REPLICATIONS … IMPORTANT: IMPROVE LOCAL SKILLS FIRST! SKILLS CREATE MONEY MONEY DOES NOT SPONTANEOUSLY CREATE SKILLS

BUILDING THE TERRITORY D. DEVELOPING COMPETITIVENESS 1) HOW TO CREATE AND RETAIN MAXIMUM ADDED VALUE IN THE TERRITORY? 2) HOW TO DEVELOP SOCIAL COMPETITIVENESS IN THE TERRITORY? 3) HOW TO DEVELOP COMPETITIVENESS IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT? NOTE : ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF COMPETITIVENESS ARE CLOSELY INTERLINKED WITH SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ONES, BUT WERE NOT DISCUSSED … « COMPETITIVENESS IS DETERMINED BY THE EFFICIENCY WITH WHICH A TERRITORY USES ITS RESOURCES TO ESTABLISH, DEVELOP AND COMMUNICATE A STRATEGIC POSITION ON THE MARKET » (from Ian Dempsey)

BUILDING THE TERRITORY D. DEVELOPING COMPETITIVENESS 1) HOW TO CREATE AND RETAIN MAXIMUM ADDED VALUE IN THE TERRITORY?. ACQUIRING « STRATEGIC POSITION » IS CRUCIAL TO GET MAXIMUM ADDED VALUE : DISTINCTIVENESS IS THE KEY « COMPETITIVE STRATEGY IS ABOUT BEING DIFFERENT ». DEVELOP TERRITORIAL VISIBILITY WITH CLEAR LABELING AND COMMUNICATION STRATEGY BASED ON LOCAL IDENTITY. IDENTIFY - OR « CREATE » - LEADING PROJECTS / PRODUCTS, AND SERVICES WITH STRONG IDENTITY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. INCLUDE ECONOMIC VIABILITY AND COMPETITIVENESS IN PROJECTS SELECTION AND EVALUATION INDICATORS

BUILDING THE TERRITORY D. DEVELOPING COMPETITIVENESS 2) HOW TO DEVELOP SOCIAL COMPETITIVENESS IN THE TERRITORY? HOW A TERRITORY USES ITS PEOPLE IN DEVELOPMENT IS CRITICAL. NOT ONLY FINANCES BUT ALSO « PEOPLE ARE KEY RESOURCE ». PUBLIC SUPPORT IS NEEDED TO DEVELOP SOCIAL COMPETITIVENESS. AND PEOPLE MUST BE AWARE OF THEIR LOCAL IDENTITY BUILD PROFESSIONAL COORDINATING STRUCTURE. DEVELOP TRAINING THROUGH WORKSHOPS. ENSURE - as far as possible - THAT LOCAL KNOW-HOW IS NOT LOST. DEVELOP APPROPRIATE TOOLS FOR PEOPLE TO SELF ORGANIZE AND COOPERATE. DEVELOP INTEGRATED CHAINS ON CONTRACTUAL BASIS. NETWORK THE DIFFERENT PRIVATE/PUBLIC/VOLUNTARY SECTORS. INCLUDE THE RESEARCH COMMUNITY

BUILDING THE TERRITORY D. DEVELOPING COMPETITIVENESS 3) HOW TO DEVELOP COMPETITIVENESS IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT?. COMPETITIVENESS IS DETERMINED BY HOW A TERRITORY USES ITS LOCAL STRENGTHS AND RESOURCES, … BUT. HAVE TO LOOK AND THINK OUTSIDE THE TERRITORY. BE AWARE THAT MARKETS, SOLUTIONS ARE NOT NECESSARILY LOCAL. AND SO WORK WITH OTHER AREAS AND SOURCES OF FUNDING. BE INNOVATIVE, USE THE RIGHT TO TAKE RISKS … AND COMPETE « A TERRITORY THAT DOES NOT INNOVATE IS LIKE A COMPANY THAT DOES NOT INVEST »

BUILDING THE TERRITORY BEFORE CONCLUSION, TO SUM UP A FEW CHALLENGES AHEAD FOR LEADER TO « BUILD TERRITORIES ». IMPROVE LAGs ATTENTION TO LOCAL PEOPLE CAPACITIES IN SELF-MANAGEMENT: QUALITY MANAGEMENT (CRITICAL), INDICATORS, ORGANISATION MODEL, COMPETITIVENESS, ECONOMIC VIABILITY, ….. IMPROVE POSITIONING CAPACITY OF LAGs TOWARDS THE « NON LEADER » ENVIRONMENT. IMPROVE THE NETWORKING DIMENSION - a wider « tube » - including towards Third-countries, and also the rest of the world ….

TO CONCLUDE, BUILDING THE TERRITORY IS NOTHING BUT WRITING A NEW CHAPTER OF ITS HISTORY AND PREPARING THE NEXT ONE … BY DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING A SUSTAINABLE STRATEGY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS « YOU CAN NOT IDENTIFY THE FUTURE, YOU HAVE TO CREATE THE FUTURE » (Stanislas Brzozowski)