STRATEGIC OPTIONS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BUCHAREST BRAND THROUGH THE APPLICATION ANALYSIS OF THE MEASURING INSTRUMENTS FOR THE URBAN BRANDS

The reality demonstrates that, in the present context, the competition between the cities is harsh, amplified by the economic and politic effects of the globalization. Thecities are fighting to attract investments, influence, businesses, tourists, residents. One of the challenges of the urban management in its efforts to grow the performance is linked around the construction of the urban brand as a solution in the process of the cities’ development. This construction implies the validity, credibility, simplicity, attractiveness and distinctiveness of the city’s image. The answer of the researchers to the need of a critical effective instrument in this area was the creation of the Urban Brand Index. Through these measuring instruments, the actors implied in the administration of the cities can easily understand the perception of the visitors, investors, costumers and future residents upon the image of the city, to identify and apply some pro-active measures to stimulate and improvement of the existing opportunities that have as main result the development of the city. In this study are presented three of these instruments - The City Brands Index, The European Barometer of City Brands and The Global Cities Index - and the way in which these can contribute to the actions for constructing a powerful urban brand of Bucharest, is analyzed.