Transition to a new regional identity: exploring the legacy narratives in a region's construction and infrastructure projects.

Davies, Raymond; Fulford, Heather

Abstract

It is becoming common practice for major projects to include legacy claims, giving indications of how sustainable benefits will be realised alongside core project deliverables. To date, research on legacy has been concentrated on events such as the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cups. These are contexts in which significant investment and structural changes to host cities are often justified by the promise of specific legacies to benefit future generations of residents. By contrast, the research discussed in this presentation comprises an exploration of legacy claims made during recent construction and infrastructure projects undertaken in Aberdeen City and its surrounding region in North East Scotland. This region has a masterplan to transition away from its established oil and gas sector identity to a more diversified economy, incorporating clean energy, tourism, and food and drink production. Document analysis of projects focussed on the region's sustainability and regeneration is being undertaken to identify the nature of the legacy claims made and plans for how those legacies are to be managed. Interviews with project stakeholders are being conducted to investigate motivators for incorporating legacy into the projects, the challenges of planning and managing legacy, and the project lifecycle stages into which legacy concepts are being incorporated.

Citation

DAVIES, R. and FULFORD, H. 2021. Transition to a new regional identity: exploring the legacy narratives in a region's construction and infrastructure projects. Presented at the 3rd Network of International Business and Economics Schools research session (NIBES 3): sustainability research in business and economics, 23 November 2021, [virtual event].

• Presentation Conference Type: Presentation / Talk
• Conference Name: 3rd Network of International Business and Economics Schools research session (NIBES 3): sustainability research in business and economics
• Start Date: Nov 23, 2021
• Deposit Date: Jun 10, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 19, 2024
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: Construction projects; Infrastructure projects; Sustainability; Long-term impact; Project legacies
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2372397