Culture Counts – How Cultural Differences Impact Strategic Planning Processes towards Urban Resilience

Abstract

Amid global change and increasing international cooperation, understanding cultural differences in strategic planning has become crucial for building urban resilience. This paper explores how cultural values influence planning processes, particularly in relation to climate adaptation and mitigation. Drawing on the “third generation” planning model and the “cultural values model,” it analyses how cultural differences shape problem definition, planning approaches, and solution development. Case examples from workshops in South-West Germany illustrate how diverse planning cultures manifest in practice. The paper also presents tools and approaches to overcome cultural misunderstandings and barriers, and concludes with recommendations to foster cultural awareness in international and interdisciplinary planning projects as well as in political decision-making.