Battling the informal settlement challenge through sustainable city framework: experiences and lessons from Harare,Zimbabwe

ABSTRACT

This study examines the efficacy of adopting the sustainable city framework as an urban planning agenda with a view to addressing the dilemma of informal settlements in Harare, Zimbabwe. Data were collected through document review which was triangulated with key informant interviews. Thematic and content analysis was then used to analyse the data. The results of the study show that informal settlements in Harare are a result of a multiplicity of factors which include political economy, uncoordinated planning, invasion of land by land barons and inappropriate planning ideologies. The planning approaches to address informal settlements also tends to be too harsh at times when evictions are used though there are some instances where it is commendable-regularisation by UDC. The study recommends the adoption of planning approaches that conform to the local realities in Harare as well as considering the sustainable cities framework.     

Influence of the ‘slow city’ brand association on the behavioural intention of potential tourists

This study sees the ‘slow city’ idea as a brand, and used an empirical method to examine the influence of its brand association types on the behavioural intentions of potential tourists. The measurement of brand association types was limited to the following 13 variables: slow food, traditional culture, authentic local food, happiness, healthy, organic, peaceful, quality of life, beautiful scenery, comfortable, affectionate, compassion and well-being, elicited from a pre-test. The findings from 485 potential tourists in the 2 largest cities in South Korea show that eliciting positive feelings and brand associations are strong marketing strategies that increase the chance of tourist visits, and therefore could influence the choice of a destination and the chance for revisits in the future. The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of the marketing influence of the slow city brand on the behavioural intentions of potential tourists.     

基于服务业增加值的长三角城市网络关系分析——借助引力模型的实证研究

随着长江三角洲城市群"同城化"发展进程的加快,各城市间的相互影响持续深化,城市间分工合作布局发生了明显调整,各城市要素资源集散与影响能力有所变化。以服务业增加值为主要参数,借助引力模型,运用相关网络关系分析软件及指标研究长江三角洲城市网络复杂关系,可以比较清楚地发现整个长江三角洲城市网络结构变动趋势:各城市服务业体系更趋完备,相互间直接联系有所增强,而不再像之前那样要通过几个主要城市进行联系。未来各城市要进一步增强对所在城市网络生产与消费的撮合功能,提高对所在城市网络资源的调配与控制能力,提升在城市网络中的地位和作用,必然会经历一个从所在网络中心城市承接某些功能后促进自我发展的阶段。这里有两条路径可供选择:一条是依托货物商品流向资金信息流转型升级的路径;另一条是从专业性城市向综合性城市发展的路径。当然,以上两条路径也可同步发展,相辅相成,共同促进。     

The incentives of China's urban land finance

Land grant premiums and land tax revenues have become two major sources of fiscal revenue for city governments in China. This type of fiscal revenue strategy for city governments is generally referred to as “land finance”, and it has drawn increasing research attention in recent years. This paper explores the institutional causes of the “land finance” strategy of city governments in China. We first analyze the institutional foundation of “land finance” (including China's urban land use system and land expropriation system). We then propose two hypotheses about the institutional causes of “land finance”. The first hypothesis is that the current system of fiscal decentralization is a major reason city governments choose the “land finance” fiscal strategy. The second hypothesis is that under the current personnel control system, which uses local economic performance as the most important indicator for evaluating local government officials, the competition between city governments to promote local economic growth is another major reason city governments choose the “land finance” fiscal strategy. We test the hypotheses by estimating econometric models using data for 31 provincial-level regions for the period 1999–2008. The empirical results suggest that fiscal decentralization and competition between city governments to promote economic growth are two major causes of “land finance”.     

The Tunisian Revolution: Neoliberalism,Urban Contentious Politics and the Right to the City

This article engages in the debate on urban contentious politics by returning to the Tunisian revolution. In the article, I chart movements provoked by neoliberal restructurings, and show how these ultimately came together to form a mass movement demanding radical political change. I first describe the socio‐spatial roots of the Tunisian revolution to understand its dynamics. Based on the chronology of the unfolding events I sketch the classes, social groups and movements that coalesced against authoritarian rule in early 2011. Although the Tunisian revolution started in rural environments, I focus more specifically on the role of urban social movements in the uprising to link questions of urbanism to what were clearly national revolts. Secondly, I outline the scope of neoliberal reforms in Tunisia by looking at the impact of these reforms to chart the resulting emergence of contentious politics in response to the increasing violence that characterized all levels of economic life during this period. I also consider the resulting uneven development and the changing relations between the state and the different social classes. This enables me to reflect on the politicization of the city with the aim of opening up new opportunities for engaging with a more comparative and cosmopolitan theory about cities around the world.     

我国城市公关现状：理论、问题与策略研究

城市公关已经逐渐替代城市营销,成为塑造城市形象提升城市竞争力的新手段。本文针对目前国内关于城市公关理论及实践存在的问题进行了分析与整理,发现除了意识上与制度上的缺陷以外,理论上的不足与活动缺乏监督也是影响公关效果的因素。然后本文结合了我国城市公关的实际情况提出了强化城市公关意识、完善城市公关制度保障与科学化公关等相应的建议,并指出了未来城市公关更多依赖于第三方公关服务机构的可能性。     

基于“世界城市”定位的绿色商业发展研究——以北京市为例

绿色商业是绿色经济中重要的组成部分。随着北京世界城市定位的确立,发展绿色商业已成为北京发展经济、提升产业、满足消费需求的迫切要求。但是,目前还缺乏绿色商业相关的系统理论,因而难以对绿色商业建设进行系统的指导;相应的绿色行业组织与机构还没有成立,政策与法规有待完善,绿色商业的规范和标准仍比较缺失。所以,需要加强绿色商业制度建设,并做好绿色商业发展规划与计划:时间上细化到各个阶段或年度;空间上细化到各个区域;要求上落实到不同的商业企业,这样才能有助于世界城市的建设。     

宁波城市社区文化建设的发展研究

社区建设的核心内容是社区文化建设.改革开放以来,宁波城市社区文化建设实践卓越成效,积极支撑了城市的发展.本文对社区文化的内涵、功能、作用等问题进行了探讨,总结宁波城市社区文化的经验,思考当前社区文化建设中存在的问题,并就可持续发展提出建设性意见.     

充分发挥城市在流通中的重要作用

流通在国民经济发展中具有重要作用，而城市又在流通中扮演重要的角色，充分发挥城市在流通中的重要作用，对于发展城市和流通业都具有重要意义。商品流通对生产具有促进作用；对消费具有引导作用；对分配和再分配乃至整个国民经济的总体运行产生巨大影响。城镇化过程是现代商品流通发展与变革的直接推动力量之一，而现代商品流通发展与变革的过程也是构成城镇化过程的重要内容。城市和流通的互动作用极大促进了二者的积极发展。做好不同城市的定位、充分利用各城市的优势、发挥城市作为连接点和集散地的重要作用等措施都会使城市和流通业得以更好发展。     

The Newly Revised Process for Trade Dispute Settlement in GATT

Abstract

Trade dispute settlement has long been one of the weaknesses and ambiguities of GATT. Critics led by the U.S. have now succeeded in the Uruguay Round in formalizing some previously uncodified areas and in providing further detail in some existing formal procedures. The resulting process introduces more structure, clarity, and predictability and gives more attention to scheduling. The revision has the potential to facilitate and expedite resolution of trade disputes.