Trade development strategy, regional economic development and cooperation: The case of the Murmansk region, Russia

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to explore the concept of a trade development strategy and to identify its impact on cross-border trade and cooperation. The case focuses on the Murmansk region and cross-border trade with Finland. This study is designed as a qualitative, single-case, embedded study. Primary data collection was executed by means of a survey and semi-structured interviews. The acquired data were analyzed by developing a case description. In this study trade development strategy is understood from the practice theory perspective and is defined as a set of strategic activities initiated by formal and informal institutions. The concept of a trade development strategy includes activities related to (1) intelligent growth, (2) trade promotion, (3) infrastructure development, and (4) support for market access and international trade cooperation. This study reveals that the absence of a thoroughly devised international trade development strategy in the Murmansk region does not allow for the streamlining of strategizing activities related to trade development; therefore the activities tend to be uncoordinated and unbalanced.

Keywords

• the Murmansk region
• trade development strategy
• practice theory
• strategic activities
• periphery
• case study