On Tuesday, October 29, 2024, the doctoral thesis of the student (Sherin Kamel Zidan) was discussed, titled "The Role of Urban Branding Strategies in City Popularity." The research embodies the concept of popularity as the opinions, beliefs, and general perceptions towards a city, thus representing a valuable resource for urban areas. The study focused on examining the phenomenon of popularity as a general framework for research.
The research adopted a Critical Realism approach, encompassing three levels: Empirical, Actual, and Real. The first phase (Empirical level) involved gathering impressions and general perceptions about the phenomenon through an exploratory study of the key indicators and dimensions that engaged the audience concerning the topic of popularity in Baghdad at both local and global levels. The research identified the unobservable structures causing Baghdad's popularity, represented by the mental and emotional associations tied to the city's branding.
The second level (Actual level) of the research methodology involved constructing mechanisms that generate the phenomenon of popularity by exploring approaches and strategies for urban branding. The research identified several approaches to warrant branding within the city.
The third level (Real level) of the research methodology involved creating three hypothetical conceptual models, illustrating the derivation of branding strategies and their relational connection with urban branding strategies, as well as the effectiveness of urban branding and the characteristics of intellectual development leading to the emergence of popularity. This was applied to selected cities: Tokyo in the first model, Barcelona in the second, and finally, the application of the final conceptual model to the branding of Baghdad within the Comprehensive Development Plan for Baghdad 2030.
The future impacts of the study suggest that understanding these models can guide future urban development strategies not only in Baghdad but also in other emerging cities worldwide. The exploration of the branding approaches in the city illustrates how urban branding strategies can create a unique identity for cities. These approaches address not only immediate urban challenges but also position the city as a model for future developments in initiatives of the world’s most popular cities.
The discussion committee consisted of esteemed professors:
- Prof. Dr. Widad Shukr Mahmoud - Chair
- Prof. Dr. Susan Abdul Hassan - Member
- Prof. Dr. Ahmed Abdul Ali Rashid - Member
- Assist. Prof. Dr. Mufeed Ihsan Al-Shouk - Member
- Assist. Prof. Dr. Nada Abdul-Mu'een Hassan - Member
- Prof. Dr. Asma Mohammed Hussein Abdul Razak - Member and Supervisor
We wish the researcher and all our graduate students success and achievement.
