- e•region - supporting regional development through a collaborative world wide web based portal site   click here to open paper content40 kb
by    Pfirrmann, Martin | martin@mynewworld.de   click here to send an email to the auther(s) of this paper
Short Outline
e•region – supporting regional development through a collaborative world wide web based portal site, presenting an innovative and progressive approach to initiate a world wide web application to support regional development in the Bonn city region, Germany.
Abstract
The world wide web is developing rapidly, the global nature of the network does reflect the globalised world of today and tomorrow. But is it possible to develop applications upon the infrastructure of the world wide web that serve regional interests, such as to promote endogenous regional development to counteract the dangers of globalisation?


e•region is a concept for a virtual mirror of a city region on the world wide web. The case study tries to examine how to display the German city region of Bonn/Rhein-Sieg/Ahrweiler. The portal site is meant to serve as strategic information tool to promote endogenous regional development.

For this, the case study conceptualises the idea of the e•region, so that it can contribute to the following aspects of regional development:

- e•region is meant to serve as marketing instrument, both to the inside and the outside
- e•region is meant to serve as information source to initiate regional co-operation amongst local companies
- e•region is meant to support the development of a regional identity through the presentation of regional information.

e•region is a collaborative approach to implement several individual regional information sources into one common application. The application will include basic information as well as qualitative information on the regional housing markets, the regional economy, regional tourism and issues of regional planning.

In terms of how interesting the case study may be for other participants, it can serve two aspects: first, it presents an innovative approach to display a region on the world wide web; and second, it gives opportunity to discuss and exchange about the concept amongst congress participants, involving international knowledge and experience.
Keywords
e-region
Case Study presented on the ISOCARP Congress 2003: Planning in a more globalized World
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