Mayer, Heike (2013). The Role of Small and Medium-sized Centers for Territorial Development in Switzerland. Urban Planning International, 2013(5), pp. 36-44.
Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)This paper describes the role of small and medium-sized urban centers in Switzerland. Switzerland is a highly urbanized country where small and medium-sized urban centers play an important role in ensuring a balanced national urban system. Besides the four largest metropolitan regions （Zurich, Geneva, Basel and Bern）, small and medium-sized towns function as central places for a wider, often extensive hinterland. They provide opportunities for living and working and they connect rural and mountain regions to national and international networks. Using secondary statistics and a case study, the paper shows that small and medium-sized urban centers are home to significant concentrations of export-oriented industries. Firms in these value-adding secondary sectors are rooted in these places and benefit from strong local embeddedness while also being oriented towards global markets. Small and medium-sized urban centers also profit from their strong local identities. While these places face various challenges, they function as important pillars in creating a balanced regional development pattern. Swiss regional development policy follows the goal of polycentric spatial development and it employs various instruments that aim to ensure a balanced urban system.
Item Type: |
Journal Article (Original Article) |
|---|---|
Division/Institute: |
08 Faculty of Science > Institute of Geography > Human Geography > Unit Economic Geography 08 Faculty of Science > Institute of Geography 11 Centers of Competence > Center for Regional Economic Development (CRED) |
UniBE Contributor: |
Mayer, Heike |
Subjects: |
700 Arts > 710 Landscaping & area planning 300 Social sciences, sociology & anthropology 300 Social sciences, sociology & anthropology > 330 Economics |
ISSN: |
1673-9493 |
Language: |
English |
Submitter: |
Monika Wälti-Stampfli |
Date Deposited: |
13 Dec 2013 15:16 |
Last Modified: |
05 Dec 2022 14:27 |
Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Small and Medium-sized Towns; Switzerland; Local Embeddedness; Regional Development Policy; Polycentric Development |
URI: |
https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/39478 |
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