Explaining city branding practices in China’s three mega-city regions: The role of ecological modernization

De Jong, M., Chen, Y., Joss, S., Lu, H., Zhao, M., Yang, Q. and Zhang, C. 2018. Explaining city branding practices in China’s three mega-city regions: The role of ecological modernization. Journal of Cleaner Production. 179, pp. 527-543. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.01.098

TitleExplaining city branding practices in China’s three mega-city regions: The role of ecological modernization
AuthorsDe Jong, M., Chen, Y., Joss, S., Lu, H., Zhao, M., Yang, Q. and Zhang, C.
Abstract

As global cities, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing operate in international economic networks; however, they are also each firmly embedded within a regional context and are surrounded by less populous and less internationally recognized neighbors. Together they form so-called mega-city regions referred to as the Greater Pearl River Delta, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Bohai Rim, each encompassing a dozen or so cities. In the wake of staggering economic growth and threatening pollution, these cities are compelled to respond to the challenge of ecological modernization (EM): aim for higher economic value added at lower environmental cost. Cities have particular industrial and regional profiles; consequently they follow different developmental pathways. In order to attract coveted investors, green and high-tech corporations, well-endowed residents and talented workforce, these cities engage in city branding practices. In this contribution, a typology of EM developmental pathways is presented and the 41 cities in the three Chinese mega-city regions are analyzed in terms of their respective pathways and city branding practices. We argue that different industrial and regional profiles allow for different developmental pathways making different city branding strategies likely. Most cities brand themselves in comformity with what their pathway would lead us to predict, except cities with a strongly manufacturing oriented profile; the brands of the latter type deviate markedly from their current reality. Cities adopting branding strategies that contrast sharply with their historical legacy and current profile risk promoting themselves in ways that the outside world is likely to perceive as lacking in credibility.

Keywordscity brand identity; city labels; ecological modernization; developmental pathways; mega-city regions, China
JournalJournal of Cleaner Production
Journal citation179, pp. 527-543
ISSN0959-6526
Year2018
PublisherElsevier
Accepted author manuscript
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.01.098
Web address (URL)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652618301124
Publication dates
Published28 Jan 2018
Published in printApr 2018
LicenseCC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Supplementary data or files
File
Supplementary data or files
File
Supplementary data or files
File

Related outputs

Prospects for Standardising Sustainable Urban Development
Joss, S. and Rydin, Y. 2018. Prospects for Standardising Sustainable Urban Development. in: Bell, S. and Morse, S. (ed.) Routledge Handbook of Sustainability Indicators Abingdon, Oxon Routledge. pp. Chapter 24

Future Cities: Asserting Public Governance
Joss, S. 2018. Future Cities: Asserting Public Governance. Palgrave Communications. 4 (36) 36. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-018-0087-7

The smart city and Its publics: insights from across six UK cities
Cowley, R., Joss, S. and Dayot, Y. 2018. The smart city and Its publics: insights from across six UK cities. Urban Research & Practice. 11 (1), pp. 53-77. https://doi.org/10.1080/17535069.2017.1293150

Sustainable Cities in Asia; Preface
Joss, S. and Cowley, R. 2017. Sustainable Cities in Asia; Preface. Routledge.

Smart cities: towards a new citizenship regime? A discourse analysis of the British smart city standard
Joss, S., Cook, M. and Dayot, Y. 2017. Smart cities: towards a new citizenship regime? A discourse analysis of the British smart city standard. Journal of Urban Technology. 24 (4), pp. 29-49. https://doi.org/10.1080/10630732.2017.1336027

The New Urban Agenda: key opportunities and challenges for policy and practice
Caprotti, F., Cowley, R., Datta, A., Broto, V.C., Gao, E., Georgeson, L., Herrick, C., Odendaal, N. and Joss, S. 2017. The New Urban Agenda: key opportunities and challenges for policy and practice. Urban Research & Practice. 10 (3), pp. 367-378. https://doi.org/10.1080/17535069.2016.1275618

National Policies for Local Urban Sustainability: A New Governance Approach?
Joss, S. and Cowley, R. 2017. National Policies for Local Urban Sustainability: A New Governance Approach? in: Eames, M., Dixon, T., Hunt, M. and Lennan, S. (ed.) Retrofitting Cities for Tomorrow’s World London Wiley. pp. 227-245

Smart-Eco Cities in the UK 2016
Joss, S., Caprotti, F., Cowley, R. and Yu, L. 2016. Smart-Eco Cities in the UK 2016. Exeter University of Exeter (Smart Eco Cities Project).

Eco city development in China: addressing the policy implementation challenge
de Jong, M., Yu, C., Joss, S., Wennersten, R., Yu, L., Zhang, X. and Ma, X. 2016. Eco city development in China: addressing the policy implementation challenge. Journal of Cleaner Production. 134 (Part A), pp. 31-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.03.083

Tomorrow’s City Today: Prospects for Standardising Sustainable Urban Development
Joss, S., Cowley, R., de Martin Jong, Müller Bernhard, Park, B.S., Rees, W., Roseland, M., Rydin, Y., de Jong, M. and Mueller, B. 2015. Tomorrow’s City Today: Prospects for Standardising Sustainable Urban Development. London University of Westminster.

Eco-cities and Sustainable Urbanism
Joss, S. 2015. Eco-cities and Sustainable Urbanism. in: Wright James, D. (ed.) International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2nd edition, Vol 6. Oxford Elsevier. pp. 829-837

Sustainable Cities: Governing for Urban Innovation
Joss, S. 2015. Sustainable Cities: Governing for Urban Innovation. London Palgrave Macmillan.

Sustainable–Smart–Resilient–Low Carbon–Eco–Knowledge Cities; Making sense of a multitude of concepts promoting sustainable urbanization
de Martin Jong, Joss, S., Daan Schraven, Changjie Zhan and Weijnen Margot 2015. Sustainable–Smart–Resilient–Low Carbon–Eco–Knowledge Cities; Making sense of a multitude of concepts promoting sustainable urbanization. Journal of Cleaner Production. 109, pp. 25-38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.02.004

Adapting adaptation: the English eco-town initiative as governance process
Tomozeiu, D. and Joss, S. 2014. Adapting adaptation: the English eco-town initiative as governance process. Ecology and Society. 19 (2) 20. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-06411-190220

Rising to the challenge: public participation in sustainable urban development
Joss, S. 2014. Rising to the challenge: public participation in sustainable urban development. in: Hofmeister, W., Rueppel, P. and Lye, L.F. (ed.) Eco-cities: sharing European and Asian best practices and experiences Singapore Select Books. pp. 35-51

The eco-city as urban technology: perspectives on Caofeidian International Eco-City (China)
Joss, S. and Molella, A.P. 2013. The eco-city as urban technology: perspectives on Caofeidian International Eco-City (China). Journal of Urban Technology. 20 (1), pp. 115-137. https://doi.org/10.1080/10630732.2012.735411

Towards the ‘ubiquitous eco-city’: an analysis of the internationalisation of eco-city policy and practice
Joss, S., Cowley, R. and Tomozeiu, D. 2013. Towards the ‘ubiquitous eco-city’: an analysis of the internationalisation of eco-city policy and practice. Urban Research & Practice. 6 (1), pp. 54-74. https://doi.org/10.1080/17535069.2012.762216

Eco-city indicators: governance challenges
Joss, S., Tomozeiu, D. and Cowley, R. 2012. Eco-city indicators: governance challenges. WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment. 155, pp. 109-120. https://doi.org/10.2495/SC120101

Eco-cities - a global survey 2011: eco-city profiles
Tomozeiu, D., Joss, S. and Cowley, R. 2011. Eco-cities - a global survey 2011: eco-city profiles. London University of Westminster.

Eco-city governance: a case study of Treasure Island and Sonoma Mountain Village
Joss, S. 2011. Eco-city governance: a case study of Treasure Island and Sonoma Mountain Village. Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning. 13 (4), pp. 331-348. https://doi.org/10.1080/1523908X.2011.611288

Eco-cities: the mainstreaming of urban sustainability; key characteristics and driving factors
Joss, S. 2011. Eco-cities: the mainstreaming of urban sustainability; key characteristics and driving factors. International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning. 6 (3), pp. 268-285.

Eco-cities: a global survey 2009
Joss, S. 2010. Eco-cities: a global survey 2009. WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment. 129, pp. 239-250. https://doi.org/10.2495/SC100211

Accountable governance, accountable sustainability? A case study of accountability in the governance for sustainability
Joss, S. 2010. Accountable governance, accountable sustainability? A case study of accountability in the governance for sustainability. Environmental Policy & Governance. 20 (6), pp. 408-421. https://doi.org/10.1002/eet.559

Making technology accountable: citizens' conferences in the era of public accountability
Joss, S. 2009. Making technology accountable: citizens' conferences in the era of public accountability. Diacritica. 23 (2), pp. 299-316.

Eco-Cities: a preliminary survey and analysis of recent developments and initiatives
Joss, S. 2009. Eco-Cities: a preliminary survey and analysis of recent developments and initiatives. Eco-Cities Workshop. Lemelson Center 24 Mar 2009

Webs of accountability: the challenge of 'new governance'
Joss, S. 2008. Webs of accountability: the challenge of 'new governance'. Royal Geographical Society International Annual Conference 2008. London 27 - 29 Aug 2009

Public spheres pushing for change: participation in the governance of GM crops
Joss, S. 2007. Public spheres pushing for change: participation in the governance of GM crops. in: Taylor, I.E.P. (ed.) Genetically engineered crops: interim policies, uncertain legislation Binghampton Haworth Food & Agricultural Products Press. pp. 305-339

Lost in translation? Challenges for participatory governance of science and technology
Joss, S. 2005. Lost in translation? Challenges for participatory governance of science and technology. in: Bogner, A. and Torgersen, H. (ed.) Wozu experten?: Ambivalenzen der beziehung von wissenschaft und politik Wiesbaden, Germany Verlag fur Sozialwissenschaften. pp. 197-219

Between policy and politics. Or: whatever do weapons of mass destruction have to do with GM crops?: the UK's GM nation public debate as an example of participatory governance
Joss, S. 2005. Between policy and politics. Or: whatever do weapons of mass destruction have to do with GM crops?: the UK's GM nation public debate as an example of participatory governance. in: Maasen, S. and Weingart, P. (ed.) Democratization of expertise?: exploring novel forms of scientific advice in political decision-making Dordrecht, Netherlands Springer.

Zwischen politikberatung und offentlichkeitdiskurs: erfahrungen mit burgerkonferenzen in Europa
Joss, S. 2003. Zwischen politikberatung und offentlichkeitdiskurs: erfahrungen mit burgerkonferenzen in Europa. in: Schicktanz, S. and Naumann, J. (ed.) Burgerkonferenz: Streitfall Gendiagnostik: ein Modellprojekt der Burgerbeteiligung am bioethischen Diskurs Opladen, Germany Leske & Budrich. pp. 15-35

Towards the public sphere: reflections on the development of participatory technology assessment
Joss, S. 2002. Towards the public sphere: reflections on the development of participatory technology assessment. Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society. 22 (3), pp. 220-231. https://doi.org/10.1177/02767602022003006

Assessing debate and participative technology assessment (ADAPTA): project no. BIO-CT98-0318: annex no. 1: the Denmark national report
Joss, S. and Kluver, L. 2001. Assessing debate and participative technology assessment (ADAPTA): project no. BIO-CT98-0318: annex no. 1: the Denmark national report. Grenoble, France University of Grenoble. https://doi.org/BIO-CT98-0138

Permalink - https://westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk/item/q3y7y/explaining-city-branding-practices-in-china-s-three-mega-city-regions-the-role-of-ecological-modernization


Share this

Usage statistics

237 total views
404 total downloads
These values cover views and downloads from WestminsterResearch and are for the period from September 2nd 2018, when this repository was created.