This paper begins with looking into the history of cross-border cooperation. It also includes a preview of the development of cross-border cooperation in Europe and a promotion of cross-border cooperation in the European Union. Subsequently, there is a view of cross-border cooperation in the Czech Republic in the paper. The paper itself is focused on a comparison of cross-border operational cooperation programs, The Czech Republic -- The Republic of Poland and The Czech Republic -- The Free State of Saxony, in terms of administrative and content parameters. Administrative and content parameters are compared in the new programming period, i.e. the programming period 2007 -- 2013. This paper aims to describe the set of administrative and content parameters in both programs and identify the cross-border cooperation operational program with better defined parameters.

The purpose of this research was to determine the potential capacity for improved participation through community-based approaches to small hydroelectric development in the Indian Himalayas. The objectives of the research were: (1) to establish the current roles of the civic, public and private sectors in small hydro development; (2) to examine the potential for learning through participation during the development of small hydro projects; (3) to determine the potential for using community-based environmental assessment in future projects; (4) to investigate the benefits of community-driven small hydro development, and (5) to determine the implications of the findings for environmental policy and decision-making. Data were gathered using Participatory Rural Appraisal methods including semi-structured interviews, transect walks, and landscape analysis. There were five case study projects (Niti, Bampa, Jumma, Malari and Bamini/Badrinath), each in the Indo-Tibetan border region of the Indian Himalayas. The plants are all run of river, and range in capacity from 25 kW to 1.2 MW. Four of the villages had no electricity prior to the development of the small-hydro plants, while one had a prior connection to the state electrical grid (Bamini/Badrinath). The villages are inhabited by Bhotia tribespeople, and are occupied only during the summer growing season. The residents travel to lower altitude villages for the winter months. The most successful project examined, in the village of Malari, was one where community development and energy needs were considered simultaneously, and where the local community was highly involved in planning, construction and operation. The less successful projects were those where community involvement and development, sound planning, and detailed geographic information about the site were lacking in their development and operation; such as was observed in the village of Jumma, where the plant never began operations because it was damaged by an avalanche prior to its inauguration. PLEASE NOTE: As of January 2007 the State of Uttaranchal was renamed Uttarakhand. The change is not reflected in this thesis. / May 2007

The purpose of this research was to determine the potential capacity for improved participation through community-based approaches to small hydroelectric development in the Indian Himalayas. The objectives of the research were: (1) to establish the current roles of the civic, public and private sectors in small hydro development; (2) to examine the potential for learning through participation during the development of small hydro projects; (3) to determine the potential for using community-based environmental assessment in future projects; (4) to investigate the benefits of community-driven small hydro development, and (5) to determine the implications of the findings for environmental policy and decision-making. Data were gathered using Participatory Rural Appraisal methods including semi-structured interviews, transect walks, and landscape analysis. There were five case study projects (Niti, Bampa, Jumma, Malari and Bamini/Badrinath), each in the Indo-Tibetan border region of the Indian Himalayas. The plants are all run of river, and range in capacity from 25 kW to 1.2 MW. Four of the villages had no electricity prior to the development of the small-hydro plants, while one had a prior connection to the state electrical grid (Bamini/Badrinath). The villages are inhabited by Bhotia tribespeople, and are occupied only during the summer growing season. The residents travel to lower altitude villages for the winter months. The most successful project examined, in the village of Malari, was one where community development and energy needs were considered simultaneously, and where the local community was highly involved in planning, construction and operation. The less successful projects were those where community involvement and development, sound planning, and detailed geographic information about the site were lacking in their development and operation; such as was observed in the village of Jumma, where the plant never began operations because it was damaged by an avalanche prior to its inauguration. PLEASE NOTE: As of January 2007 the State of Uttaranchal was renamed Uttarakhand. The change is not reflected in this thesis.

The purpose of this research was to determine the potential capacity for improved participation through community-based approaches to small hydroelectric development in the Indian Himalayas. The objectives of the research were: (1) to establish the current roles of the civic, public and private sectors in small hydro development; (2) to examine the potential for learning through participation during the development of small hydro projects; (3) to determine the potential for using community-based environmental assessment in future projects; (4) to investigate the benefits of community-driven small hydro development, and (5) to determine the implications of the findings for environmental policy and decision-making. Data were gathered using Participatory Rural Appraisal methods including semi-structured interviews, transect walks, and landscape analysis. There were five case study projects (Niti, Bampa, Jumma, Malari and Bamini/Badrinath), each in the Indo-Tibetan border region of the Indian Himalayas. The plants are all run of river, and range in capacity from 25 kW to 1.2 MW. Four of the villages had no electricity prior to the development of the small-hydro plants, while one had a prior connection to the state electrical grid (Bamini/Badrinath). The villages are inhabited by Bhotia tribespeople, and are occupied only during the summer growing season. The residents travel to lower altitude villages for the winter months. The most successful project examined, in the village of Malari, was one where community development and energy needs were considered simultaneously, and where the local community was highly involved in planning, construction and operation. The less successful projects were those where community involvement and development, sound planning, and detailed geographic information about the site were lacking in their development and operation; such as was observed in the village of Jumma, where the plant never began operations because it was damaged by an avalanche prior to its inauguration. PLEASE NOTE: As of January 2007 the State of Uttaranchal was renamed Uttarakhand. The change is not reflected in this thesis.

In North America, deepening economic integration under free trade has led to the formation of several cross-border regions between Canada and the United States and such regions have become a significant focus for public policy research in Canada. A key question is whether, as a result of increased economic integration, there are tendencies towards policy and institutional convergence within cross-border regions; especially in areas viewed as critical in determining competitive economic advantage. One such area is employment relations. However, relatively little research has focused on how, or even if, employment relations are changing within cross-border regions. Previous studies comparing differences and similarities in employment relations between Canada and the United States have tended to focus on one of three scales: the nation, the firm, or the individual workplace. Here, the focus is on employment relations within a cross-border region. Such regions often share similar economic and social characteristics. Thus, we might expect that if cross-national employment relations are becoming more similar due to deepening economic integration this would manifest most clearly at this scale. The empirical focus is the forest products industry in the cross-border region of Cascadia, comprised of British Columbia, Washington state, and Oregon. Employment relations are compared across three components of the forest products industry: pulp and paper, solid wood processing, and logging. Data are organized around case studies of each component and focus on employment, wages, and productivity; the restructuring of firms and ownership; the labour movement; work practices, training, and the reproduction of the labour force. The dissertation concludes that employment relations in the pulp and paper and logging industries in Cascadia are becoming more similar cross-nationally, while those in solid wood processing are increasingly differentiated cross-nationally. Moreover, it concludes that employment relations in British Columbia’s solid wood processing and pulp and paper industry are becoming more similar, while employment relations in the PNW solid wood processing and pulp and paper industries are increasingly differentiated. The dissertation contributes to broader debates in economic geography by examining the tensions between national and sub-national political economic actors contribute to the production of scale and territory. / Thesis (Ph.D, Geography) -- Queen's University, 2010-05-28 11:48:30.745

Tato diplomová práce podává ucelený přehled o česko-polské přeshraniční spolupráci na příkladu Euroregionu Glacensis. Součástí práce je nezbytné teoretické vymezení euroregionů a dalších přeshraničních struktur, vymezení jejich cílů a principů fungování, legislativní úprava a institucionální zabezpečení. Cílem práce je potvrdit význam a přínos přeshraniční spolupráce v procesu evropské integrace a zhodnotit do jaké míry tyto aktivity naplňují cíle vymezené ve strategii rozvoje ERG. Použitím metody komparace jsou zhodnoceny a srovnány programy, jejichž podpora je pro realizaci těchto rozvojových aktivit nezbytná. Pozornost je věnována předvstupním fondům Phare CREDO a Phare CBC, Iniciativě Společenství INTERREG IIIA a Novému operačnímu programu. Prostřednictvím dotazníkového šetření je zhodnocena informovanost studentů o existenci a aktivitách ERG. Výsledky šetření ukazují rovněž na vztah respondentů k obcím, ve kterých žijí a na jejich vztah k Polské republice.

Euroregionen wird in Europa ein gewichtiger Beitrag zum länderübergreifenden Zusammenwachsen europäischer Grenzregionen beigemessen. Im internationalen Wettbewerb um fortschreitende wirtschaftliche Entwicklung, liefert Regionalmarketing einen Ansatz, um sich von anderen Regionen abzuheben und eigenständige regionale Wertschöpfungskreisläufe zu etablieren. Die vorliegende Arbeit setzt sich mit den Erfolgsfaktoren und Problemfeldern von Regionalmarketing und regionalen Marketinginitiativen in Euroregionen in Deutschland und Polen auseinander. Im Zuge der Forschung wird als Fallbeispiel die Euroregion Spree-Neiße-Bober mit ihren deutschen und polnischen (Teil-) Märkten betrachtet. Im Einzelnen gliedern sich die Kapitel wie folgt: Das erste Kapitel widmet sich den Euroregionen. Sodann wird die Untersuchungsregion, die Euroregion Spree-Neiße-Bober, mit ihren deutschen und polnischen Teilregionen vorgestellt und der Forschungsstand im Forschungsgebiet des Regionalmarketings präsentiert. Im folgenden Kapitel wird die Transaktionskostentheorie als ökonomischer Ansatz der neuen Institutionenökonomik dargestellt. Darauf basierend wird das analytische Modell der Arbeit abgeleitet und die Untersuchungsmethodik vorgestellt. Sodann werden in Kapitel 7 und 8 die Forschungsergebnisse auf der Basis der Produzenten, Dienstleister-, Einzelhandels- und Händlerbefragung erläutert. In Kapitel 9 werden die Forschungsergebnisse für die gesamte Euroregion Spree-Neiße-Bober synthetisiert, neue wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse präsentiert und Empfehlungen für vertiefende Forschungsarbeiten gegeben. Die Arbeit schließt mit Handlungsempfehlungen und der Skizzierung der Entwicklungsperspektiven für grenzüberschreitende Marketinginitiativen ab. / A weighty contribution to the cross-border integration of European border regions is measured in so called „Euroregions“ in Europe. In the international competition for progressive economic development, regional marketing provides an approach to differentiate themselves from other regions and to establish independent regional value creation cycles. The present work deals with the success factors and challenges of regional marketing and regional marketing initiatives in Euroregions in Germany and Poland. In the context of research a case study is undertaken in the Spree-Neiße-Bober Euroregion paying tribute to its different German and Polish (partial) markets. In particular, the chapters are divided as follows: the first chapter is devoted to European cross-border and Euroregions. Then, the study region, the Spree-Neiße-Bober Euroregion is introduced and the present state of research in the field of regional marketing displayed. The following chapter describes the transaction costs theory before the analytic model is derived and the investigation methodology introduced. In chapter 7 and 8 the research results show the effects of regional marketing on producers, service providers, food manufacturers and traders in Germany and Poland. In the final chapter 9 the results of the research are synthesised, new scientific knowledge is presented and recommendations is given for deepening research projects. The work concludes with action recommendations and the sketching of the developing perspectives for international marketing initiatives.

The period between the 1750s and 1830s witnessed a major change in travel practices in Europe, moving away from the traditional Grand Tour and focusing more on natural places, their visual power, and their influence on individual emotions. Such changes meant that the Alps ceased to be seen as a natural obstacle that had to be crossed in order to access Italy, and became a place to explore and a mountainous space par excellence. This thesis addresses the importance of mental mapping in travel literature and its impact on the construction of the Alps as a transnational space, which eventually facilitated the creation of a viable touristic market in the Alps as we know it today. The first part of the thesis analyses the transformation of the Alps from a natural frontier to a border region explored by travellers and their networks. The second part discusses the consequences of these changes on mental mapping and spatial representations of the Alps by travellers: it highlights the way external visitors often had very subjective interpretations of what the Alps meant as a term and a place, and conveyed those to other travellers through travel writing. Finally, the third part of this work investigates the development of an Alpine myth as a product of these shifting mental representations: the Alps became a set of expectations, typical images, and encounters to be expected.

The submitted thesis "Reteritorialization of the Austrian-Slovenian-Croatian border as a causal impact of the European integration process" analytically approaches the issue of the reterritorialization process within the state-centric, still valid Westphalian system. The topic of reterritorialization is important especially in the context of considering the spatial or territorial impacts of ongoing European integration. This integration can take the form of establishing so called Euroregions or cross-border cooperation. The territorial framework was chosen on the basis that Slovenia is one of the most typical border and contact social areas in Europe. This assumption was subsequently linked to the time perspective, when the above-mentioned three states joined the European Union at almost the same interval. Appropriate choice of territory and time framework in the work is the basis for the analysis of the impacts of the phenomenon of reterritorialization. The analytical part of the work is organized as a discursive analysis of texts whose authors are researchers from the university environment. As members of academia often have a direct impact on the local implementation of cohesion policy, the analysis is complemented with the interpretation of the results of thematic structured interviews. These...

The purpose of this study is to investigate one of the European Structural Fundprogrammes, Interreg V Öresund-Kattegat-Skagerrak (ÖKS) and the priority areaTransportation. The programme gives financial support to transportation projectsaiming to develop sustainable (environmentally friendly) transportation alternativesand solutions. Through studies and theories on cross-border collaboration (CBC) and goals forsustainable transportation a major need of joint strategies for solving shared problems,such as environmental concerns has been demonstrated. This approach ofcollaboration projects as a pillar for sustainable development has been the foundationof how the current Interreg programme has been studied and the starting point for thisresearch. The study aims to clarify the relationship between the overall view uponcooperation and joint development programmes (within areas stretching over nationaland administrative borders, such as transportation) and the specific Interregprogramme. A programme which during current period (2014-2020) experienced adrastic decline of number of applicants. In order to further understand the context thecurrent study has trough empirical research defined added values (advantages) of theCBC but also identified the perceived difficulties and barriers (disadvantages). Thefounding’s have further been compared and supplemented with perspectives fromrelevant actors engaged in transportation development. This material has beencollected through qualitative interviews enabling a vital and good understanding ofconcerned actors and their view of advantages and disadvantages with CBC. Theanalysis has also enabled the conclusion that the general view among the actors is thatcollaboration projects are necessary for a sustainable development. However, studiedprogramme with declined number of applicants did not succeed in attracting desiredparticipants. Consequently, the actors were also asked to share their view upon thedecline of applicants for current Interreg period. One identified explanation wasrelated to the administrative burden which was perceived too heavy by the actors. Inaddition, the financial part was perceived to be too low or poorly designed. Theknowledge about the programme was also found to be limited among some of theactors. To be able to involve more participants in the future it has been concluded thatimprovements within the three areas of defined obstacles have to be implemented. This investigation and findings aim to contribute to increased insights andunderstanding of the cross-border cooperation process in order to be able to reach andinvolve relevant actors in the most favourable way for successful future projects anddesired sustainable development.