Exploring Acceptance of Strangers in Place Branding Theory:

Abstract

Most articles on place branding point out the positive role of strangers, but only a few studies have discussed the acceptance of strangers by communities, and why they collaborate with communities. This paper examines the collaborative process and conditions for its promotion between communities and strangers in intermediate and mountainous rural regions, using mixed method research. The analysis identifies three aspects of acceptance: acceptance formation, exchange promotion, and value co-creation, which are classified according to the degree of accumulation of social capital. The types of strangers (opener, visitor, partner, specialist) accepted depend on the level of social capital. This also suggests that a platform that can be transformed by accumulation of social capital to promote exchanges and collaboration with strangers is necessary.

Keywords

• place brand management
• endogenous development theory
• platform
• state of community acceptance