Title: Developing a typology for residents and local development: a case study in Northern Greece

Authors: Eleftheria Fytopoulou; Spyridon Galatsidas; Stilianos Tampakis; Evangelia Karasmanaki; Georgios Tsantopoulos

Addresses: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54424 Thessaloniki, Greece ' Democritus University of Thrace, 193 Pantazidou Street, 68 200 Orestiada, Greece ' Faculty of Forestry and Natural Environment, Laboratory of Forest Policy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Box 247, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece ' Democritus University of Thrace, 193 Pantazidou Street, 68 200 Orestiada, Greece ' Democritus University of Thrace, 193 Pantazidou Street, 68 200 Orestiada, Greece

Abstract: The understanding of residents' profile and attitude toward local development is critically important since it can guide the efforts to promote local development especially in rural areas which suffer economic disadvantage. Using categorical principal components analysis, categorical regression and cluster analysis, this paper identifies resident types in the Regional Unit of Drama in Greece based on the variables constituting local development and the factors contributing to local development. According to our analysis, the desire for development and development potential were the most important dimensions in local development and these dimensions were affected by participants' demographic characteristics. Moreover, there were three types of residents with the majority belonging to the first type which expressed a positive desire for development and perceived that the region involves a moderate development potential. Moreover, the results can be used to highlight implications for policymakers and local authorities as well as to point to opportunities for future research.

Keywords: local development; regional development; development potential; residents' attitudes; typology; tourism development; sustainable development; categorical principal component analysis; categorical regression; prefecture of drama.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSAMI.2020.108364

International Journal of Sustainable Agricultural Management and Informatics, 2020 Vol.6 No.2, pp.163 - 178

Received: 04 Jan 2020
Accepted: 16 Feb 2020
Published online: 10 Jul 2020 *

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