Territorial relationship marketing: a lever of territorial attractiveness

Abstract

The attractiveness of the territory is a strategic objective of public policies. This objective is explained by the contribution of Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) to economic growth and even to the sustainable development of the host country. Nevertheless, the frenzy of competition between territories on a global scale combined with a galloping globalization and the fragmentation of value chains on an international scale highlights the need to go beyond the promotion of location factors Multinational Firms (MNCs) providers of FDI. Inexorably, the factors of territorialization become significant in a context punctuated by the growing nomadism of foreign companies.

It is in this context that this work focuses on the need to adopt a relational approach to promote the economic attractiveness of the territory. This approach, which involves the implementation of a relationship marketing strategy, has demonstrated its effectiveness in maintaining lasting and fruitful relationships with customers in both B to B and B to C. This effectiveness relational marketing involves the mobilization of its determining variables, which are fully addressed by several theories such as the theory of commitment / trust and relational contracts.

Our research work seeks to broaden the scope of relationship marketing in order to question its ability to establish lasting and fruitful relationships with FDI. Therefore, the establishment of such relationships is important for the host territory insofar as it is no longer the attractiveness of FMNs carrying FDI that is dominant. We must also strive to retain the latter, increase the capital intensity of subsidiaries and even strengthen their local roots. This said anchoring is able to contribute to the territorial development of the host country.

Classification JEL : F21, F23, M31

Article type: Theoretical article