SUSTAINABLE URBANIZATION: NEEDED POLICY CHANGES FOR INDIA

This paper is concerned with two questions: what is it that is unsustainable about the process of urbanization and growth of cities in developing countries?; and why do countries persist with strategies that are evidently unsustainable? Making use of data from India, which today has the second largest urban population in the world, and taking note of increasing global concern for sustainable urbanization, this paper points out that the developing countries have to move beyond a general acceptance of the concept to see it being put into practice.     

BOTTOM-UP APPROACH FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN SRI LANKA

Low-income communities, whether in urban or rural areas, need certain basic facilities that are difficult or impossible to acquire either due to poverty or other constraints. Welfare-oriented governments have, therefore, attempted to provide these basic facilities, but not with great success. Recently new approaches have been adopted to improve the situation by encouraging people to become involved in community-level decision making with respect to their needs and to implement the construction of acceptable facilities. The communities would then shoulder a greater responsibility, leading to development with a higher degree of sustainability.     

DECENTRALIZED PLANNING FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: The Case of Indonesia*

The government of Indonesia frequently has stressed the need for decentralization to achieve effective regional development, but yet has hesitated to proceed because of fears that such action would undermine national unity and disrupt centrally defined national priorities. Furthermore, the entrenched bureaucratic hierarchy, reinforced by the persistence of patrimonialism, would have to surrender its planning and decision making authority to popularly constituted bodies. This paper examines this dilemma and argues that deconcentration of planning and implementation functions to lower administrative levels does not constitute decentralization. The analysis concludes by suggesting that collaboration between government and non-governmental organizations might be the appropriate means for encouraging popular participation for sustainable development.     

PLANNING BY NEGOTIATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: A TALE OF TWO HABITATS

In the December 2005 issue of Economic Affairs , a collection of authors considered alternative institutions for planning and managing urban affairs. Following up the idea of 'planning by contract', this paper reflects on the role of negotiation in securing gains from trade over contested local environmental resources. The idea of an obstructive classical planning game is contrasted with the concept of creative negotiation by reference to two case studies.     

THE STATUS RANKING OF INDUSTRIES

This paper is concerned to establish the status ranking of ten different sectors of manufacturing and non-manufacturing industry through analysis of the background and education of managers in these sectors. The ranking is then given confirmation by salary data. It is suggested that this ranking is based on differences between industries in science and technology, with corresponding differences in knowledge and skill needs and thus in the meaning of ‘management’, in sources of managerial recruitment, and in qualifications and requirements for education and training.     

誉峰园：珠江新城豪宅市场的风向标

广州珠江新城誉峰园曾一度成为珠江新城乃至广州市区豪宅市场的一个风向标,影响着周边地产项目的定位和销售,而此小区的园林景观也因为别具一格的设计和精雕细琢的施工,获得了业内的好评。     

金筑奖 年度最具价值楼盘

筑,即居室。随着社会文明的演变与进步,中国房地产商与时俱进,在人居规划、设计创新、社区文化、开发销售、物业服务等方面开始全面超越,打造了大批量的具均好性与消费满意度的高品质高性价比的精品小区,为房地产行业发展提供了重要推力和有益借鉴。本奖项旨在表彰本年度在全国最具市场影响力和产品创新竞争力及较高投资价值的大盘及标杆物业。     

星汇云锦：打造空中别墅新标准

在国际顶级豪宅中,最贵的豪宅不一定是背山面海的城郊大别墅。一种有着市中心地段优势,又有着绝对的高度,有着独一无二的空中景观的豪宅新产品开始进入世界富豪们的视野——城市空中别墅。业内人士认为,空中别墅不仅有着别墅的天与地,更有着市中心的地段优势和普通别墅所不可及的高度,成为社会精英们最喜爱的豪宅。     

魅力宜居之城——我们共同的向往

一个好的城市是什么？我非常欣赏城市设计师杨·盖尔对宜居城市的定义：人们热爱待在户外而不是困在家里或者大商场里,人们热爱在人行道上行走、公园漫步或者在公园长凳或者室外咖啡座闲坐。好的城市是一个有趣的城市,是一个让我们喜欢行走、闲坐、玩耍、骑自行车、四处闲逛的城市。