Regional dynamics in mountain areas and the need for integrated policies



11

the late 70ies, in reaction to new theoretical approaches on the one side, and to criticism of the
traditional regional policy and its instruments on the other, the regional policy paradigm in Austria
underwent a change that can best be described as no longer seeing the ”weak regions” as the objects
of government regional policy ”from above”, but increasingly as bringing them into action ”from
below” as ”self-driven” subjects. This new orientation experienced its formulation in the concept of
”independent regional development”: the standardisation of living spaces by the centre was called
into question, the intrinsic value of non-urban structures was discovered and the importance of inter-
regional potentials and resources for a sustainable, independent development was brought to the
fore. The solution of the problem was no longer posed ”for” but ”with” the people of the region. The
long-term target was stronger regionalisation of structural policy and a co-ordinated, target-oriented,
integrated development of all relevant economic sectors and development areas in a region according
to a regional development guideline (Bundeskanzleramt 1980).

However, the concept of independent regional development also displayed some elements hindering
development. Among these were: putting too much weight on autonomous orientation, the
underestimation of the importance of external relations and integration into the national and
international market-, information- and development-relations, the danger to overestimate the
endogenous potential, and the inner-regional economic cycles. As a result, a more comprehensive
regional development idea of ”endogenous renewal” gained increasing importance at the beginning of
the 80s. It involved a combination of ”independent regional development” with a more heavily
”innovation-oriented” strategy. This placed enterprise and technological innovations and adaptation
strategies as the key factors for a successful business and regional development.

The discussion on a new orientation of regional policy forced by the proponents of independent
regional development contributed essentially to the setting up in the Federal Chancellery in 1979 of
the special initiative for the renewal of less developed rural areas in Austria’s mountain area
(Mountain Area Special Initiative). Following an extension of the aid area to problem areas outside
the mountain region, it was renamed in 1985 as the ”Aid Initiative for Independent Regional
Development” (Forderungsaktion für eigenstandige Regionalentwicklung, FER). The objective of the
initiative was the support of co-operative-business projects in all sectors. Although the support
grants provided were in total compared to other industrial renewal schemes rather small, it can be
assessed as a rather stimulating incentive on regional policy in Austria’s mountain areas (on a low



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