http://oimplantology.org/index.php/EJSD/issue/feed 2021-09-08T00:00:00+00:00 Scientific contact (EJSD Editors) ejsd_editors@polito.it Open Journal Systems <p><a title="EJSD" href="https://journals.polito.it/index.php/EJSD/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><em>European Journal of Spatial Development</em></strong> (<strong>EJSD</strong>)</a> is an open access journal providing high-quality scientific contributions to spatial planning, regional development, policy making and governance, from European and EU-related perspectives.</p> <p><strong>EJSD</strong> serves as a platform for critical academics and spatial development professionals to share cutting edge research. It publishes original contributions focusing on the multiple ways in which spatial development is coordinated, governed, and institutionalised at various scales, places and territories.</p> <p>The journal is located within the subject area of Social Sciences, and predominantly linked to the subject categories of Spatial Planning and Development, Urban Studies, and Geography. Nonetheless, based on the journal’s multidisciplinary outlook, <strong>EJSD</strong> welcomes contributions from other fields if they explicitly contribute to research on European spatial development. </p> http://oimplantology.org/index.php/EJSD/article/view/227 2021-08-04T07:00:15+00:00 Leneisja Jungsberg leneisja.jungsberg@nordregio.org Lise Byskov Herslund lihe@ign.ku.dk Kjell Nilsson nilsson.landscape@gmail.com Karina Umander karina.umander@nordregio.org Anna Kantola anna.kantola@nordregio.org Jukka Teräs Jukka.Teräs@nordregio.org Ryan Weber ryan.weber@nordregio.org

<p>A common challenge for Northern communities is how to retain local benefit from resource-based industries. This study assesses the process of developing a local smart specialisation strategy in two municipalities, Storuman and Sodankylä, both located in the Northern Periphery. The assessment framework applied is based on the concept of ‘strategic dimensions’ (Healey, 2009), along with a qualitative set of process and outcome criteria (Innes and Booher, 1999). Our assessment of the strategic process indicates that all dimensions required for strategic planning were represented within it, but that they were mostly responsive rather than transformative in character. When comparing results from process criteria and outcome criteria, the process criteria score significantly higher. The strategic process engaged social networks and involved local stakeholders in discussion and joint prioritisation. According to the participating stakeholders, the local smart specialisation strategies in Storuman and Sodankylä enhanced local preparedness. However, a significant limitation was a lack of long-term human and financial resources to address challenges in relation both to resource-based industries and local territorial development.</p>

2020-11-01T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2021 Leneisja Jungsberg, Lise Byskov Herslund, Kjell Nilsson, Karina Umander, Anna Kantola, Jukka Teräs, Ryan Weber