Positioning the Metropolitan Region

1
Positioning the Metropolitan Region

• Helsinki on a global scale
• Gamma location or nothing?
• Some hints for group work
• Tutorial 14.2.2007, KST

2
Alpha, beta, gamma

• Helsinki showing evidence of world city formation
  (Taylor 1999)
• indicators accounting, advertising, banking, law
  (global economic players need other
  professionals)
• key advanced producer services indicate power and
  influence in trade, finance, education,
  technology...
• Helsinki, creative and thus competitive?
  (Florida 2002, Taylor-updates?)
• pulsating urban culture, show business,
  consumption, hang-arounds

3
Famous (City) Rankings

• ESPON FUAs, MEGAs etc.
• Hall, Hymer, Cohen, Friedmann (see Taylor)
• World-wide Quality of Living Survey
• Zürich on top (of the 350), Helsinki 29th
• Security Ranking
• Finland high in competitiveness studies

4
Comparative advantage

• economic theory (Ricardos trade theory initial
  resource endowments traded/protected)
• you make profits if you have such a position
• can also be used to analyse e.g. the founding of
  cities
• assumption /- rational behaviour, production of
  goods at the forefront
• competitive advantage a broader concept
  considering differences in labour/technology-inten
  sity, supply chains, domestic markets

5
Constructed advantage

• knowledge-based construction, considers various
  directions
• more room for maneuvre in terms of what is an
  advantage
• more in the (cities and various metropolitan
  actors) own hands to shape it... but maybe in
  cooperation with a broader audience than before
• is both a means of understanding the noted
  metamorphosis in economic growth activity and a
  strategic policy perspective of practical use to
  business firms, associations, academics, and
  policy makers http//users.fmg.uva.nl/lleydesdorf
  f/constructed_advantage/
• isnt it increasingly the groove that counts,
  as making it to be trendy once might pave way to
  further success

6
Rankings for cities, businesses, services,
countries...

• Have a look at rankings, and try to see what each
  one tells and what not
• Consider what measured aspects are easier to
  improve than others
• Produce a scheme how Helsinki/HMR will make it to
  rise on ranking lists
• You can also consider what kind of ranking list
  you would like to see and how high Helsinki would
  be.
• Pay attention to functions, spaces and places

7
SWOT
internal
own contri-butions
S
W
T
O
world out there
external
8
Aspects considered in rankings

• Congress Cities (Union of International
  Associations)
• http//www.mtv3.fi/matkailu2006/arkisto.shtml?3107
  71
• Competitivenss Index
• http//www.hugginsassociates.com/product_info.php/
  cPath/23/products_id/49
• http//www.weforum.org/en/media/Latest20Press20R
  eleases/GCRpressrelease06
• Mobile (phone) services (Mwatch Europe)
• http//www.tietokone.fi/uutta/uutinen.asp?news_id
  28848tyyppi1
• Student city qualities
• http//www.helsinki.fi/ajankohtaista/uutisarkisto/
  8-2003/28-11-12-35
• http//www.euricur.nl/default.asp?id795pagekeu
  zepublicationspublication18
• Reputation!
• http//www.kunnat.net/attachment.asp?path129355
  741110003110091
• http//savotta.helsinki.fi/halvi/tiedotus/lehti.ns
  f/e1e392ad852e72f5c225680000404fa8/40f29764dc7ad1b
  4c22571f60032db0c?OpenDocument

9
Are they the key aspects in your perspective?
What alternatives would you suggest and how could
they be measured?

• e.g. HS 7.2. economy headlines
• M-real cuts down 600 jobs
• State invests in Virtual Air Guitar

10
Air guitar goes virtual

• http//www.omvf.net/2006/EN/home.html
• http//www.airguitarworldchampionships.com/EN/home
  .html
• http//airguitar.tml.hut.fi/ http//www.virtualair
  guitar.com/
• http//www.heureka.fi/attachments/tv-ohjelmat_2006
  /heureka7.wmv
• http//news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4694482.stm

11

• Ice Hole / Winter Swimming World Championships
  http//www.ouka.fi/iceswim2006/english/
• Wife Carrying http//www.sonkajarvi.fi/?deptid151
  36
• Kicksled World Championships (Potkukelkka MM)
  http//www.google.fi/search?hlenqpotkukelkkailu
  nmm
• Marsh soccer WC (Suojalkapallo)
• Snow Soccer FC (Umpihankifutksen SM)
• Goldwashing FC (Kullanhuuhdonnan SM)
• Who creates the value added in the future?

12
Poster on the new HMR

• You can discuss e.g.
• How high on which rankings the brave new city is
• What was done by/with whom, where
• What is the major difference money-flow, looks,
  feeling?
• Who are the winners and possible losers in the
  development?
• Was it worth the trouble?

13
Getting serious

• Pay attention to functions, spaces and places
• What kind of functions can be attracted /
  created?
• What places are crucial (airports or pedestrian
  zones?)
• What kind of spaces should be shaped and for
  whom?
• What is realistic, what not so