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"Infrastructure (Economics) Developed countries Case studies."
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Critical perspectives on suburban infrastructures : contemporary international cases
\"Most new urban growth takes place in the suburbs; consequently, infrastructures are in a constant state of playing catch-up, creating repeated infrastructure crises in these peripheries. However, the push to address the tensions stemming from this rapid growth also allow the suburbs to be a major source of urban innovation. Taking a critical social science perspective to identify political, economic, social, and environmental issues related to suburban infrastructures, this book highlights the similarities and differences between suburban infrastructure conditions encountered in the Global North and Global South. Adopting an international approach grounded in case studies from three continents, this book discusses infrastructure issues within different suburban and societal contexts: lowdensity infrastructure-rich Global North suburban areas, rapidly developing Chinese suburbs, and the deeply socially stratified suburbs of poor Global South countries. Despite stark differences between types of suburbs, there are features common to all suburban areas irrespective of their location, and similarities in the infrastructure issues confronting these different categories of suburbs.\"-- Provided by publisher.
Book
How do passengers use travel time? A case study of Shanghai–Nanjing high speed rail
Traditional travel behavior theory regards travel time as a waste. Recent studies suggest that it carries a positive utility, among other reasons for the benefit of the activities conducted while traveling. However, most studies of travel time use have focused on conventional trains in developed countries. Few have systematically examined the permeation of information and communication technology (ICT) into travel time use and the correlates of activity participation in developing countries, particularly on high speed rail (HSR). Using a survey conducted on the Shanghai–Nanjing corridor (N = 901), this study examines how HSR passengers use their travel time and explores the correlates of the different types of activities of business and non-business travelers, respectively, through multivariate probit models. We found that 96% of the respondents use ICT during their HSR journey and that most passengers spend some of their travel time on work-related activities. Moreover, items carried and advance planning as well as work-related travel attributes contribute significantly to activity participation. However, the factors affecting time use of business and non-business travelers differ. HSR service design should facilitate passenger engagement in various activities and improvement of their travel experience. A stable internet connection, adequate power sockets, and a noise-free environment will promote both work and leisure activities on the HSR.
Journal Article
Exploring the Smart City Indexes and the Role of Macro Factors for Measuring Cities Smartness
The main objective of this paper is to discuss the key factors involved in the definition of smart city indexes. Although recent literature has explored the smart city subject, it is of concern if macro ICT factors should also be considered for assessing the technological innovation of a city. To achieve this goal, firstly a literature review of smart city is provided. An analysis of the smart city concept together with a theoretical framework based on the knowledge society and the Quintuple Helix innovation model are included. Secondly, the study analyzes some smart city cases in developed and developing countries. Thirdly, it describes, criticizes and compares some well-known smart city indexes. Lastly, the empirical literature is explored to detect if there are studies proposing changes in smart city indexes or methodologies to consider the macro level variables. It results that cities at the top of the indexes rankings are from developed countries. On the other side, most cities at the bottom of the ranking are from developing or not developed countries. As a result, it is addressed that the ICT development of Smart Cities depends both on the cities’ characteristics and features, and on macro-technological factors. Secondly, there is a scarce number of papers in the subject including macro or country factors, and most of them are revisions of the literature or case studies. There is a lack of studies discussing the indexes’ methodologies. This paper provides some guidelines to build one.
Journal Article
REVIEWING THE ARGUMENT ON FLOODS IN URBAN AREAS: A LOOK AT THE CAUSES
The paper reviewed literature on the causes of floods in urban areas in order to establish direct links between the \"causes\" and \"floods\" using the city of Accra, Ghana as case study site. The systematic review process was used and involved 45 reports and peer reviewed literature 64% of which was based on work done in developing countries. The causes of floods were skewed towards finding solution to perennial floods in developing countries as against addressing secondary effects of floods in developed countries. There was lack of precision in describing the causes of floods. No common vocabulary was found in expressing the causes of floods, some of the phrases used were ambiguous, and the linkages to floods were either assumed or not clear. The review identified 24 causes of floods out of which 12 scored more than 10%. Heavy rainfall was the most frequently cited cause (62%) followed by urbanization 40%, inadequate drains 33%; poor waste management 31%, unplanned growth 24%, storm surge 24% and failure of infrastructure 22%. Other causes included poor engineering 16%, weak law enforcement 16%, development in flood plains 13% and poor maintenance of drains 11%. Climate change was cited by only 9% but its possible impact on urban development could be far reaching. The causes of floods were grouped into direct such as intense rainfall, increased imperviousness, and inadequate drainage. Indirect causes included poor waste management, sedimentation, construction in low laying areas, etc. Interventions to address flooding were suggested based on the three direct causes
Journal Article
Multidimensional Poverty in China: Findings Based on the CHNS
This paper estimates multidimensional poverty in China by applying the Alkire-Foster methodology to the China Health and Nutrition Survey 2000–2009 data. Five dimensions are included: income, living standard, education, health and social security. Results suggest that rapid economic growth has resulted not only in a reduction in income poverty but also in a reduction in multidimensional poverty in the last decade, both in terms of its prevalence and intensity. However, many challenges remain. There are wide disparities across provinces and between urban and rural areas, with poverty being 1.5 times higher in rural areas than in urban ones in 2009. Moreover, rising deprivation in education in rural and less developed provinces should also be a policymaking concern.
Journal Article
Environmental Racism in the Accessibility of Urban Green Space: A Case Study of a Metropolitan Area in an Emerging Economy
Urban Green Spaces (UGS) are integral to advancing urban sustainability and improving the quality of life in cities. However, in rapidly urbanizing regions like the São Paulo Metropolitan Region (MRSP), significant environmental injustices in UGS accessibility present a complex challenge that requires in-depth understanding. Notably, existing studies predominantly focus on developed countries, leaving a gap in research concerning emerging economies in the Global South. This study aims to analyze the associations between sociodemographic factors and environmental racism in UGS accessibility within the municipalities of MRSP. The research utilizes Spearman Rank Correlation and multiple linear regression analyses on data sourced from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics and the Urban Green Data Platform. Key variables include the number of inhabitants, territorial area, population density, urbanization rate, gross domestic product (GDP), human development index (HDI), urban vegetation coverage, UGS per capita, and the difference between the total population and the Black or Indigenous populations residing outside the vicinity of UGSs as an indicator of environmental racism. The findings reveal significant correlations between higher GDP and HDI with increased environmental racism in UGS accessibility, suggesting that, in the absence of equitable policies, economic and human development may exacerbate disparities in green space distribution. Moreover, the study demonstrates that increased urban vegetation coverage is significantly associated with reduced environmental disparities, underscoring the role of urban greenery in mitigating inequality. These results emphasize the need for comprehensive urban planning and targeted policies that prioritize the equitable development of UGS, particularly in underserved areas. Future research should explore longitudinal data to establish causality and consider additional variables such as political governance and cultural factors, which could provide a more comprehensive understanding of environmental racism in UGS accessibility.
Journal Article
Pavement maintenance management framework for flexible roads: a case study of Pakistan
Roads play a pivotal role in the overall economic growth of any country. Developed countries allocated sufficient budget to make new roads and to maintain the existing roads. They also have a proper pavement management system (PMS) in practice to manage roads, whereas developing countries suffer from budgetary issues to make new roads and maintain the existing road network. Therefore, this paper explores the awareness of PMS via direct and indirect methods in Pakistan with a proposed framework of the low-cost model and pavement maintenance indicators for developing countries. This paper also performs a scientometric assessment of PMS. A detailed literature review has been carried out for this study, followed by a quantitative study from experienced professionals. The scientometric data is collected from the Scopus database from 1975 to 2020, whereas the data for PMS awareness assessment has been collected using questionnaires from different experts working directly and indirectly in the road management sector. The data has been analyzed using the arithmetic mean because of the nature of the questions and scope of the study. The direct method results show that experts are aware of PMS for a new road, but they have no PMS to rehabilitate roads. The indirect method results show that the authorities are applying various components of PMS, but there is no proper PMS in practice. This paper helps decision-makers to make better decisions and policies for improved road maintenance and rehabilitation. The proposed framework in the study can significantly assist the UN-SDG 9 (Facilitate Sustainable Infrastructure in Developing Countries) and 11 (Affordable and Sustainable Transport System).
Journal Article
Incorporating equity as part of the wider impacts in transport infrastructure assessment: an application of the SUMINI approach
The state of the art in appraisal of transport infrastructure (particularly for developed countries) is moving towards inclusivity of a set of wider impacts than has traditionally been the case. In appraisal frameworks generally Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA), features as either an alternative to, or complementary with, Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) particularly when assessing a wider set of distributional and other impacts. In that respect it goes some way towards addressing an identified weakness in conventional CBA. This paper proposes a new method to incorporate the wider impacts into the appraisal framework (SUMINI) based upon a composite indicator and MCA. The method is illustrated for a particular example of the wider set of impacts, i.e. equity, through the ex-post assessment of two large EU transport infrastructure (TEN-T) case studies. The results suggest that SUMINI assesses equity impacts well and the case studies highlight the flexibility of the approach in reflecting different policy or project objectives. The research concludes that this method should not be viewed as being in competition with traditional CBA, but that it could be an easily adopted and complementary approach. The value in the research is in providing a new and significant methodological advance to the historically difficult question of how to evaluate equity and other wider impacts. The research is of strong international significance due to the publication of the TEN-Ts review by the European Commission, as well as the transnational nature of large scale interurban transport schemes, the involvement of national and transnational stakeholder groups in the approval and funding of those schemes, the large numbers of population potentially subject to equity and other wider impacts and the degree of variation in the regional objectives and priorities for transport decision makers.
Journal Article
Visioning “smart city” across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries
Purpose
The study aims to underscore the initiatives taken by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in spearheading their drive towards creating “smart” cities.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses a qualitative approach by invoking documentary analysis supplemented by responses provided by 13 interviewees from public and private sector.
Findings
All the six GCC countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates) are keen on building upon their infrastructure to push their “smart city” agenda which would go a long way in furthering the economic diversification objective of their region besides improving the quality of public services.
Originality/value
Hitherto, research has been focused on appreciating the “smart city” initiatives of developed countries; this study seeks to build upon the literature on “smart cities” by contextualizing the research setting in the developing countries. Second, the study shows that with the ongoing oil prices crisis in the GCC, the “smart city” initiatives of the countries are conceived as possible avenues of economic diversification and competitiveness.
Journal Article
Assets, livelihoods, and social policy
The papers in this volume discuss the strategies adopted by people to accumulate assets through migration, housing investments, natural resources management, and informal businesses and consider how an asset-based social policy could enable those strategies or help them overcome the constraints of an unfavorable institutional environment.
eBook