Regional Institute Releases Policy Brief on Regional Identity

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The region some of us call "Western New York" is called "Buffalo Niagara" by many, the "Niagara Frontier" by some and "Greater Buffalo" by others. Still different terms are used to describe areas within the region, such as the "Southern Tier" to the south and "Genesee" for parts between Buffalo and Rochester.

So what's in a name? In many ways, the concept of thinking and acting like a region starts with defining and naming the region. According to the Regional Institute's latest Policy Brief, "The Regional Name Game," multiple names compete to describe our region, impeding the formation of a strong regional brand, but also hinting at the complex boundaries defining this region.

"Forming a strong regional identity is fundamental to distinguishing our region from others and thus successfully competing in the global economy -- and this starts with the task of naming and defining the region," said Kathryn A. Foster, director of the institute.

An indication of the changeability and hence the challenge of solidifying regional brands, the term "Buffalo Niagara" became the second most popular of the region's three most commonly used names after it had replaced "Greater Buffalo" in the title of Buffalo's airport in 1996.

In 1997, 20 businesses and organizations in the area used "Niagara Frontier" in their title, while seven used "Greater Buffalo" and none used "Buffalo Niagara." Ten years later, 17 businesses include "Niagara Frontier" in their title, seven use "Greater Buffalo" and 12 use "Buffalo Niagara."

Oftentimes the socioeconomic features of a region, as opposed to political or geographic boundaries, are more telling of the dynamics of a region. For example, commuting patterns in the region hint at the interaction and interdependence of its people and places, with 35-50 percent of employed adults in Orleans, Genesee and Wyoming counties working outside their counties of residence, while slightly fewer (20-35 percent) of employed adults in Niagara, Cattaraugus and Allegany Counties travel beyond county lines to work.

Moreover, the region's readership of three major metropolitan newspapers in the area -- The Buffalo News, Rochester's Democrat & Chronicle and Erie, Pa.'s Erie-Times News -- demonstrates that regional allegiances are far from clear cut, especially on the region's outer boundaries. For instance, Genesee County residents are split half and half in their readership of the Rochester and Buffalo newspapers. And residents of the western portion of Chautauqua County subscribe to the Erie-Times News as well as The Buffalo News.

"The tendency is to view regions through certain political and geographic lenses that often ignore the subtle cultural forces that really characterize a region, such as commuting patterns and media consumption," said Peter A. Lombardi, project director and author of the institute's Policy Brief series.

"The Regional Name Game" is the institute's ninth brief since it initiated the Policy Brief series in August 2006 to inform regional issues with timely, reliable data and analysis. The series is available online at http://regional-institute.buffalo.edu.

A major research and public policy unit of the University at Buffalo, the Regional Institute plays a vital role in addressing key policy and governance issues for regions, with focused analysis of the Buffalo-Niagara region. A unit of the UB Law School, the institute leverages the resources of the university and binational community to pursue a wide range of scholarship, projects and initiatives that frame issues, inform decisions and guide change.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, the largest and most comprehensive campus in the State University of New York. UB's more than 27,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.