With networked thinking towards a common region

Client:

In the past, only loose cooperation existed between the German states of Bremen and Lower Saxony within the scope of a Joint Regional Planning (Gemeinsame Landesplanung GLP). In 2002, the Regional Working Committee Bremen – Lower Saxony (Regionale Arbeitsgemeinschaft Bremen – Niedersachsen RAG) was founded. This marked a first important step toward regional cooperation in the northwest of Germany. The area covers the State of Bremen and the surrounding regions, from the Frisian island of Wangerooge in the north to the borders of North Rhine Westphalia in the south near Diepholz and Cuxhaven in the north east. 

Intitial Question:

At its first regional conference in 2003, the RAG agreed on a white paper expressing the vision of a ‘maritime northwest’. In the run-up to the region conference in November 2004, the question arose as to how regional cooperation can be intensified, not only within the RAG region but, if possible, including the regions between the rivers Weser and Ems. The objective was the foundation of a region with high commitment and resilient policy.  

Design:

To accelerate the cooperation process, nextpractice initially interviewed 48 various parties from all over the northwest region using its qualitative interview and analysis tool nextexpertizer. The interviewees came from areas including government, administration (district, regional and state), companies, banks and the tourist industry. Using their own words and completely free of predefined categories, they assessed various territorial entities such as cities (e.g. Bremen, Osnabrück), smaller regions (Emsland, Ostfriesland), greater regions (Weser-Ems, Lower Saxony), urban agglomerations (Hamburg, Hannover) and tourist destinations (North Sea coastal region). The objective was to collect assessments and attitudes in regard to regional cooperation in and the public image of the northwest.  

Results:

Across all 48 interview partners, the distinct desire for a stronger public image and joint marketing efforts as well as more intensive political cooperation could be observed. Among the favoured concepts for success were two empirically identifiable mainstreams. One group saw the urgent need for committed cooperation platforms, while the other group banked on personal interconnection. Over and above the diverging assessments, both groups saw well-planned economic development and the high quality of living as the region’s greatest strengths. In addition to structural deficits, the ranking of sub-regions and cities revealed image problems, for example the cities of Bremerhaven, Wilhelmshaven and the region Cuxland/Unterweser.

Evaluation of the benefit:

At a subsequent press conference, Jens Eckhoff, Ex-Senator for Building and Environment for the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, Germany stated: “When it comes to helping the region see the light of day, this was incredibly successful midwifery. I've taken part in many events which can only be called palaver shops, this was the exact opposite. Everyone concentrated on the work, held motivating discussions in the work groups and entered their best ideas into the laptops. The feedback could be readily followed. For us politicians especially, this is virgin soil, normally our ideas are only evaluated every four years”. In an interview with the regional radio station Nordwestradio, the organizer, Gerd Stötzel, Chief Administrative Officer for the District of Diepholz and RAG chairman, summed up briefly:

“A huge success”. The conference had a sustained impact. In May 2005 the RAG stakeholders agreed on establishing a committed platform of cooperation and founded the “Metropolitan Region of Bremen and Oldenburg in the Northwest”.      

More information (in German only): www.metropolregion-bremen-oldenburg.de

Image analysis takes a new direction

Analysed: TV duels of the election candidates for German Chancellor

German general election 2002 - emotions play a more and more important role, even in politics. The tendency to personalise election campaigns bears this development out: "the Stoibers" and slogans such as "Stick with it, Gerd", "Second vote is the Joschka vote". Politicians are turning into brands. The inclusion of the electorate's emotional assessments in the strategic orientation of political action will decide election outcomes.
 

THE CHALLENGE

For the first time ever, two TV debates between chancellor candidates are broadcast on German television.

It was'nt just opinion researchers and election campaign managers who were wondering what influence these TV duels would have on election results. The observations couldn't have differed more; they ranged from "meaningless" through to "election-deciding".  But how certain can traditional opinion-poll prognoses be if the interplay of candidate image and short-term events, such as floods or war, have decisive influence on voting behaviour?

THE SOLUTION
 
The TV debates between the candidates triggered off an investigation, using the interview and analysis tool nextexpertizer, into the effects of the media events on the images of the two opponents Gerhard Schröder and Edmund Stoiber. The innovative interview technique is particularly suited to gathering and comparing unconscious, emotional assessments.
 
Students assess politicians
  During the heated election campaign, nextpractice carried out a qualitative study. The method orientated consultancy plumped for a three-stage longitudinal survey conducted with a sensitive group of test persons which remained constant throughout the study.
 
660 interviews
220 students from courses in politics, themselves first-time voters, were interviewed at three different intervals using nextexpertizer; prior to and after the first TV debate and again after the second. The students from grammar schools were first-time voters from Saxony, Lower Saxony and Bremen. The survey covered the influence of the debates on the image change of the two top candidates plus an additional four politicians and the five political parties represented in the Bundestag. Nine celebrities were also included as comparisons for image development.

THE RESULTS
 
Political brand positioning becomes valuable information
The surprise: Schröder's image was boosted despite appearances in both TV duels that were rated as unconvincing in regard to content. Stoiber's attempt to enhance his image to suit the media was interpreted by the students as lacking credibility. Edmund Stoiber, the challenger from the CDU/CSU, scored short-term points with his vigourous television appearance. However, on the whole, his image dropped constantly over the period of the three surveys.
There was more to come: the CDU/CSU's image dropped in unison with Stoiber's. In contrast, the SPD's image, which, compared to Schröder's was worse, gained with that of the chancellor, despite of or possibly because of his reserved appearance during the debates.
 
Over the course of the debates, the positive effect of Gerhard Schröder?s image on a campaign influenced by floods and the threat of war became clear and was later confirmed by the election results.

Media response In the printed media alone, the study's publication brought about 145 reports with a circulation of over 6.2 million, plus countless radio and television reports. At the invitation of media mind AG Potsdam, Prof. Kruse presented the results to top-class members from the fields of politics, marketing and election campaigning on the occasion of the "Politikmarken-Markenpolitik" conference in February 2003 . Constant monitoring of image profiles will form a future part of political campaigning and electoral research.