Strategies and actions for the development of medium-sized cities. Several cases.

Abstract

A certain amount of interest has been shown in considering territory as a development factor. A new territorial culture has emerged that pays special attention to medium-sized cities by regarding them as the key to inducing multiplicative effects on their surrounding areas and halting the concentration effects of large cities. Among the most notable strategies and actions to achieve this is the inclusion of knowledge and innovation as bases that are conducive to attributing due value to available resources and managing them intelligently. In this reference context, the aim of this study is a comparative analysis of the behaviour of three medium-size Andalusian cities and of their strategies and actions to address not only an increase in the competitive ability of companies based there, but also for improving their territorial and environmental circumstances and the quality of life of the people who live there.