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Are they Surgeons? or are they Plumbers? Assessing the Role of Private Sector Consultants in Place Branding and Other Place-Based Economic Development Strategies

Author

Listed:
  • Evan Cleave

    (The University of Western Ontario)

  • Godwin Arku

    (The University of Western Ontario)

  • Merlin Chatwin

    (The University of Western Ontario)

Abstract

This study takes an in-depth look at the roles and utility of consultants in local economic development, focusing on whether there is ultimately a need for this outsourcing of policymaking. Through a series of in-depth interviews with municipal officials and consultants from Ontario, focus is specifically on place branding, a subfield of place-based local economic development. The findings indicate that while the consultants and local officials view themselves as vital in the policy development process, the use of consultants for most communities is actually problematic, as they generally lack the in-depth local knowledge needed for successful place branding.

Suggested Citation

  • Evan Cleave & Godwin Arku & Merlin Chatwin, 2019. "Are they Surgeons? or are they Plumbers? Assessing the Role of Private Sector Consultants in Place Branding and Other Place-Based Economic Development Strategies," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 179-200, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:porgrv:v:19:y:2019:i:2:d:10.1007_s11115-017-0396-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s11115-017-0396-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Evan Cleave & Godwin Arku, 2014. "Competitiveness through cooperation: Analysis of spatial patterns and inter-jurisdictional collaboration in the place branding of Ontario communities, Canada," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 29(4-5), pages 541-560, June.
    2. M. Taabazuing & G. Arku & P. Mkandawire, 2015. "Economic development approaches in a changing global economy: what do practitioners think?," Urban Research & Practice, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(2), pages 145-164, July.
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    4. Eugene McCann & Kevin Ward, 2012. "Assembling Urbanism: Following Policies and ‘Studying Through’ the Sites and Situations of Policy Making," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 44(1), pages 42-51, January.
    5. Marjana Johansson, 2012. "Place Branding and the Imaginary: The Politics of Re-imagining a Garden City," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 49(16), pages 3611-3626, December.
    6. Dominic Medway & Gary Warnaby, 2014. "What's in a Name? Place Branding and Toponymic Commodification," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 46(1), pages 153-167, January.
    7. Andy Pike, 2013. "Economic Geographies of Brands and Branding," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 89(4), pages 317-339, October.
    8. Andy Pike, 2013. "Economic Geographies of Brands and Branding," Economic Geography, Clark University, vol. 89(4), pages 317-339, October.
    9. Godwin Arku, 2015. "Economic development practices of cities in Ontario, Canada," Community Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(5), pages 604-615, December.
    10. Creplet, F. & Dupouet, O. & Kern, F. & Mehmanpazir, B. & Munier, F., 2001. "Consultants and experts in management consulting firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(9), pages 1517-1535, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Alfried Braumann, 2020. "Amazon’s HQ2 Site Selection Criteria: The New ‘Gold Standard’ in FDI Decision-Making," Urban Planning, Cogitatio Press, vol. 5(3), pages 403-417.
    2. Laura Ripoll González & Fred Gale, 2020. "Place Branding as Participatory Governance? An Interdisciplinary Case Study of Tasmania, Australia," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(2), pages 21582440209, May.
    3. Alfried Braumann, 2020. "Amazon’s HQ2 Site Selection Criteria: The New ‘Gold Standard’ in FDI Decision-Making," Urban Planning, Cogitatio Press, vol. 5(3), pages 403-417.

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