Identification of Functional Urban Regions in Kakheti (Georgia)

PMC Research is working on an applied research project in order to draw up functional urban regions in the administrative region of Kakheti, to pick out competitive economic sectors for each functional region, and to elaborate a vision for their further development. 

The concept of functional regions is relatively new in Georgia. The notion aims to introduce geographical division in Georgia, based on the existing social and economic linkages between different settlements. 

In order to achieve its objectives, PMC Research will conduct the following activities:

• Develop a theoretical framework and a research design;
• Elaborate a methodological approach to identify centers of attraction, to draw up functional urban regions in the administrative region of Kakheti, and to identify competitive sectors within said regions;
• Collect and analyze primary and secondary data;
• Identify centers of attraction;
• Draw up functional regions around the centers of attraction;
• Identify the most competitive sectors in the functional regions of Kakheti;
• Elaborate research instruments to study the identified competitive sectors;
• Analyze the comparative advantages of the identified sectors;
• Elaborate recommendations for local and central governments in order to increase the effectiveness of competitive sectors; and
• Deliver presentations on the findings of the applied research and communicate policy recommendations to relevant stakeholders.

The research is being conducted in collaboration with Ilia State University with the support of the Center for Training and Consultancy (CTC), as part of the EU project “Advancing Regions for Sustainable Development (ARSD).”