Chapter 15: Can Research Methods Replace the Strategy? Designing and Implementing City Marketing Research in Two Greek Cities: Advantages and Disadvantages

A common problem in elaborating city marketing plans is the lack of clear strategy from local authorities. Through the experience of two cases in Greece the chapter examines how and to what extent this lack may be tackled using mixed methods research designs and the goal-oriented project planning procedure.

Three main research questions can be raised concerning the topics from the literature review. The first one concerns how researchers deal with place branding and marketing in general, and, consequently, with city marketing, which is developed in this chapter. The second research question is concerned with the tools and methodologies which are used for the development of such plans. The third, and most essential based on its contribution to the existing literature, research question is the perspective of project management which exists (or does not exist?) within the effort of elaborating and implementing such marketing plans. Place branding has developed over the past two decades to become an important approach within the process of managing cities. The application of place branding by cities and towns is also an increasing focus of academic research in marketing and urban studies, especially studies examining the concept of city brands (Houghton & Stevens, 2011).