The maintenance and effective use of cultural heritage involves important economic aspects yet the field of contemporary cultural policy is surprisingly void of comprehensive analysis from an economic perspective. Prominent academics and practitioners here fill this gap. They examine the theoretical background on the value of cultural heritage, consider policies from Italy, France, Britain and Japan and make concrete proposals for changes in cultural heritage policy.

The book explores the relationship between cultural heritage and local economic development by introducing the original idea that one possible mediator between the two can be identified as creativity. The book econometrically verifies this idea and demonstrates that cultural heritage, through its inspirational role on different creative talents, generates an indirect positive effect on local economic development. These results justify important new policy recommendations in the field of cultural heritage.

Cultural heritage is a complex and elusive concept, constantly evolving through time, and combining cultural, aesthetic, symbolic, spiritual, historical and economic values. The Handbook on the Economics of Cultural Heritage outlines the contribution of economics to the design and analysis of cultural heritage policies and to addressing issues related to the conservation, management and enhancement of heritage. The Handbook takes a multidisciplinary approach, using cultural economics as a theoretical framework to illustrate how crucial and stimulating cross-disciplinary dialogue actually is. Contributors scrutinise the co-existence of cultural and economic values as well as the new challenges that arise from changes brought about by technology, and relationships between the different actors engaged in the production, distribution and consumption of heritage services. The roles of public, private and non-profit organizations are also explored. Case studies underpin the discussion, demonstrating the clear and vital link between theory and practice. This highly unique Handbook will prove a fascinating and informative read for academics, researchers, students and policymakers with an interest in cultural economics.

Cultural Heritage is a systematic, interdisciplinary examination of cultural heritage, which provides an up-to-date view of the field by drawing on various disciplines. The book offers a thorough, structured review of extant literature on heritage in tourism and pertinent challenges for cultural heritage. This book offers new ways of looking at cultural heritage assets against a backdrop of increasing economic and environmental pressures. It comprises a number of sections that each examine cultural heritage from the perspective of ethics and values, community relations and development, cultural entrepreneurship, economic viability and conservation, methodologies, impacts of tourism research, consumption, and urban and immaterial heritage. Encompassing global research perspectives from public management, visual culture, environmental management, and cultural entrepreneurship, Cultural Heritage is a crucial text for those working or interested in the heritage field.

This book explores and substantiates the role of cultural heritage as an engine for local socio-economic development. Starting from the assumption that cultural heritage represents a valuable, unique and irreplaceable resource for European regions, it identifies and quantitatively analyzes tourism and territorial identity as two different channels through which cultural heritage can influence local socio-economic development. The book highlights the fact that cultural heritage not only has a positive influence on local cultures, societies and environments, but also plays a role in the process of local economic growth. Providing comprehensive empirical evidence that explains and discusses whether and how the endowment of cultural heritage benefits local socio-economic growth, it will appeal to scholars and students of cultural economics and regional science, and anyone interested in sustainable socio-economic development.

This title on cultural heritage uses several points of view. Included are theories on cultural heritage preservation such as the cult of ancient monuments, our history and the economic value of cultural heritage preservation. A diagnostic evaluation is suggested through an integrated multidisciplinary approach, making use of quantitative and reliable data. This diagnosis helps in understanding the new properties of decayed wood and, in perspective, lets us classify the material according to its level of decay for better conservation.

Since the 1990s, heritage studies has emerged as a distinct academic field, and practices and rhetoric drawn from mainstream corporate management and strategic planning have become widespread. Based on extensive research, this book is an in-depth investigation of management practices rather than policies, based on a variety of case studies from around the world. The authors take the issue of management in heritage seriously, but also take into account the role of other disciplines within heritage organizations. In particular, they focus on sustainability in terms of financial resources, human resources, knowledge management, and the relationship with the audience and communities of scholars. The book opens with a methodological introduction that discusses what it means to do research on management, and why international comparative research is essential. The body of the text engages issues of heritage and management through five distinct analytical lenses: management and the process of change, institutional settings and business models, change and planning, the Heritage Chain, and the space between policy and practice. Each of these five sections includes a chapter introducing the analytical framework and possible implications, followed by case histories from China, Italy, Malta, Turkey, and Peru. The book ends with a chapter of concluding reflections.