Der Bezirk Völkermarkt : Porträt der Region und die Regionalentwicklung aus der Sicht lokaler Eliten : Analyse und Lösungsansätze für den Bezirk Völkermarkt

Klagenfurt

2007

250 S.

34 Abb., 92 Tab., zahlr. Lit. Ang.

Bandaufführung

3-901259-08-2

142149

The Völkermarkt District is the southeastern area of Carinthia, Austria. This region has been chosen as a test area to analyse the local elite opinions concerned to regional development. Regional development is the frame of reference, the object and the field of activity for politics and the administration on the EU-, the national- and the local level. The EU are to reduce the developmental differences of regions and try to lower the backlog of the least developed regions, in particular rural, and islands. The area of Völkermarkt is predominantly rural, compared to the most important parameters it is considered underdeveloped. This study also looks at local councils where many significant differences concerning economic wealth can be determined. Several reasons and factors can be listed - the closeness to the Slovene border, the bilingual culture, the poor infrastructure, low income, the decrease of population and the small number of major industries. So far all developmental studies and plans have failed. The writer of this doctoral dissertation did not rely on pure statistics, but did ask local authorities and made a profound survey. For this purpose four groups were established, namely politics, administration, economy and education. The questionnaire included aspects of life, economic, infrastructural and political issue. The data was analysed regarding the groups and many strengths could be determined, such as valuable recourses - wood, gravel, drinking water and environmental beauties. Although also weaknesses were found, lack of high quality tourism, backlog in agriculture, shortage of major industries... Most added values derive from domestic industry and tourism. The authorities insufficiently support the region, furthermore the cooperation and the coordination of the network is poor. In the near future a reduction of agriculture and of the local retail industry is expected. Only the government of Carinthia and local politics have the possibility to influence the development of this region, therefore a regional development agency must bei set up.