How to Build Territorial Networks: Criteria for the Evaluation of the Networking Potential for Local Self-sustainable Development

The processes of globalization have led to a substantial change in the urban and territorial systems and the role of each of their parts. In the age of technological change and knowledge society, the change in the structure of the city has started up a social and cultural reorganization, as a consequence of the response of the territories to the global dynamics. This is a multidimensional phenomenon, able to involve all the human dynamics related to free movement of goods, services, capital, knowledge and people. This paper seeks to understand whether the model of territorial networks may be the answer to the problems emerging from the territory. In particular the aim is to understand whether it is possible to evaluate the potentialities of the territory, i.e. its tangible and intangible resources, and build on them territorial networks able to activate processes of local self-sustainable development. The first part of the paper seeks to explore the theoretical link among reticular models, the territorial capital and local self-sustainable development. In the central part we propose a possible methodological approach for the construction of territorial networks based on existing resources and potentialities. In the final section, we apply the theoretical model to he case study of the district of Sibiu (Romania) in order to verify if the area of Valea Hartibaciului is really a territorial network whose identifying characteristics can be seen as a development opportunity. Finally, we try to define what are the limits of the proposed model and what are the future job prospects.