Collaborative Networks : Leveraging Local Food and Agritourism for Regional Development

• Collaborative networks are widely employed as mechanisms to develop innovative responses in challenging environments. This approach has relevance in the area of regional development particularly where food production and tourism are two significant sectors underpinning regions. These two industries have conventionally operated as single sectors independent of each other. However, an inability to respond to changing environments and entrenched outmoded practices in a context of global change has resulted in the vulnerability of regions and limited their ability to leverage opportunities as these arise. Regions with these characteristics need to rethink and restructure their operations.By connecting agriculture and tourism entities through a collaborative network, it is contended that regions in which these co-exist can create a vehicle for change. An in depth analysis of a case study from the Tropical North Queensland (TNQ) region in Australia dramatically illustrates this transformational process.In 2008, the TNQ region encountered a major setback to its economic base of tourism trade as a result of adverse climatic conditions and economic downturn. As part of the Australian Government’s response, a new project called the Tropical North Queensland Tourism Development Project provided the framework for the key government agencies and stakeholders to work differently through a collaborative network. This approach has yielded a supportive environment that has facilitated new patterns of relationships leading to the establishment of a regional food network and system as a foundation for a more resilient region.The case study confirms the crucial importance of understanding and applying the unique characteristics of collaborative networks, as well as the distinctive management techniques: two of which are highlighted in this paper. The first is the concept of strategic leveraging, which involves identifying and connecting key stakeholders and leveraging from the relationships formed to create the synergies necessary for valued added outcomes. The second is a more dynamic conceptualisation of leadership, which focuses on relationship building processes rather than just accomplishing tasks; this has been referred to as a process catalyst. The paper concludes that recognition of the function of strategic leveraging and the role of a process catalyst is essential at the formative stages of collaborative networks to support successful implementation and operation.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Collaboration

Collaborative networks

networks

agritourism

extension

Australia

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