Impact of Municipalities on Branding Process of Cities: Example of Kir?ehir Municipality

Abstract

In current times dominated by globalization, competition focused on enterprises and based on products became less sufficient and cities have become a part of the said competition perception. The focal point in competition of cities springs to life in brand and/or branding concepts. It is certain that there are many positive aspects of city branding, which can be assessed as gaining value based on the unique properties of each city, and a city should participate the process with all its stakeholders. At this point the prominent element of the process and the leading institution that will ensure success is the municipality. Municipalities gain importance as an administrative unit with principal responsibility in development and obligation of multi dimensional duty and service. A good branding process should be supported by internal and external sources. The history of the city and geographical, cultural and economic properties of the city are external factors supporting the branding process. in marketing external factors, i.e.: revealing physical properties and thus promoting their use and making the city a centre of attraction, municipality administrators and employees have vital duties and responsibilities. The extent of support the municipality administrators lend to branding process, which yields results in the long term are vital to the process. This study will examine the importance K?r?ehir Municipality attaches to branding process, the sources it uses to support the process, the properties of the city it uses to turn the city into a centre of attraction, the bodies and institutions it cooperates at home and abroad, projects supporting the process, awareness raising projects among its employees and the approach of the administrators and the employees to the branding process. Within this scope it is planned to inspect the strategic plan, activity report, performance program and web page of K?r?ehir Municipality and issue reports based on the results accompanied with recommendations. Finally, it is our hope that this study focusing on K?r?ehir will contribute highly to literature.