Varumärket Helsingborg - en kvalitativ studie om invånardeltagande i staden för dig som vill något

Sammanfattning: Abstract This study aims to examine how Helsingborg City handles the balance between creating a strong city brand and at the same time being responsive, listen to and involve the city’s residents. The empirical material in this study consists of five semi-structured interviews with people who are involved in the communicative and brand building work at the city of Helsingborg, as well as three strategy documents related to the brand of Helsingborg. We have chosen to adopt a qualitative approach and a hermeneutic tradition of science throughout our research. To answer our re- search questions, we conducted the analysis by looking upon our empirical material through theories within place branding and political sociology. The analysis implies that the city of Helsingborg in many ways is working successfully with participa- tion, but in some aspects fail to fully include the citizens in the brand building pro- cess. The main conclusion suggests that the city of Helsingborg, through strategic and practical branding as well as widespread investment in resident participation, can ensure that there are platforms that the inhabitants can use, and thus provide good opportunities for engagement and influence. At the same time, they cannot ensure that these platforms actually contribute to the residents' involvement, and thereby fully agree with the image the city wants to convey. This study contributes to knowledge as well as a critical perspective to the brand building work that can take place in a city, and the difficulties this work can entail.