Spatial Justice as a Competitive Intelligence Framework: Strategic Governance of Rural Public Landscapes for Regional Competitiveness

Purpose: This study conceptualizes spatial justice as a competitive intelligence framework for rural territories, examining how justice-oriented governance of rural public landscapes generates strategic knowledge that supports decision-making and enhances regional competitiveness. It addresses a key gap between spatial planning and competitive intelligence by reframing rural public landscapes as intelligence-generating territorial assets rather than merely environmental or policy instruments. Methodology/approach: The study adopts a systematic conceptual review and analytical synthesis approach. A structured literature review was conducted using Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, covering the period 2000–2024 and focusing on spatial justice, rural landscape governance, competitive intelligence, and regional competitiveness. The selected studies were analyzed using a thematic analytical matrix integrating justice dimensions, governance mechanisms, intelligence processes, and competitiveness outcomes. Originality/Relevance: The originality of the study lies in extending competitive intelligence analysis to the territorial scale, moving beyond firm-centric perspectives. By positioning spatial justice as a strategic capability and rural public landscapes as intelligence platforms, the article aligns directly with the analytical scope of the Journal of Sustainable Competitive Intelligence and contributes to debates on strategic territorial governance. Key findings: The findings indicate that spatial justice-oriented governance functions as an intelligence-processing system that enables the collection, interpretation, and mobilization of territorially embedded information related to access, participation, and recognition. These processes enhance strategic coordination, policy learning, and adaptive capacity, supporting multidimensional regional competitiveness, including economic resilience, social cohesion, environmental sustainability, and territorial attractiveness. Theoretical/methodological contributions: The study advances competitive intelligence theory by integrating spatial justice into territorial governance analysis and demonstrates the value of systematic conceptual review and analytical synthesis for developing intelligence-based frameworks in interdisciplinary regional research.