An exploration of strategic planning and stakeholder engagement for the development of heritage sites in Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Bruehlmann, Carrie Ann

Abstract

This study determined how stakeholders of heritage attractions apply strategic management for their business planning and development. A conceptual framework for strategic heritage planning was created and applied within the case of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The framework provided a new way of interpreting whether effective strategies were used within the heritage management sector. In addition to offering a lens to view policy planning, the framework led to a stakeholder analysis determining who was governing the heritage sites within the city.

The literature review revealed that studies about planning for heritage are neither prescriptive nor descriptive. Instead, they commonly reviewed challenges in planning with valuation, policy learning, implementation and maintenance for safeguarding sites. The new conceptual framework was created based on the gaps, challenges, issues and recommendations presented in the literature for heritage preservation. Each stage is operational and can be used as a guide for good practice or as an audit instrument.

Critical realism was the most appropriate research approach because the study was practical and investigated how stakeholders process policy planning in the heritage sector. This study used purely qualitative methods and considered the stakeholders' experiences to give meaning to the situation. Purposive sampling was used and the questions created for the semi-structured interviews focused on stakeholder involvement throughout the phases of the framework.
Accordingly, the Interview questions focused on assessment, creation and implementation of policy. Nine stakeholders were interviewed who were directly involved in the policy planning for heritage in Plovdiv. Document analysis was also used assessing the planning strategies highlighted in the Municipal Policy Document for Plovdiv 2014-2020.

In terms of the strategic planning and development process of the heritage sites, the findings revealed that managers pay more attention to the assessment and 3 creation phases rather than the implementation phase. With regards to stakeholder involvement, the research showed that few of them were involved at certain stages of the process due to the hierarchy of governance. Academic and managerial recommendations are further discussed in the study.

Citation

Bruehlmann, C. A. An exploration of strategic planning and stakeholder engagement for the development of heritage sites in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. (Thesis). Edinburgh Napier University. Retrieved from http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/976366

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Aug 15, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 15, 2017
• Keywords: Conceptual framework, strategic heritage, literature review, critical realism, planning, maintenance.
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/976366
• Award Date: 2017-03