City Administration Research Articles

The Policy Relevance of Urban Scaling Laws: A Study on Impervious Ground in German Cities

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;">The expansion of urban infrastructure is an important indicator of agglomeration and a major factor in the deterioration of the urban environment. The investment in urban infrastructure is accompanied by the sealing of ground. The implementation of effective policies to reduce the practice of sealing ground is impeded by the existence of conflicting interests and fiscal disincentives. A significant challenge is the dearth of policy-relevant information. Conventional analysis considers urban outcome indicators in proportion to population and neglects non-linear distribution patterns, thus obscuring global regularities that contain important information. The study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of urban imperviousness through the lens of urban scaling. The present study employs Germany as a case study to examine the extent to which the parameters of the scaling function differ between two types of cities. District Affiliated Cities (DACs) and Administrative City Districts (ACDs), which are afforded greater fiscal autonomy. The analysis indicates that the amount of sealed land exhibited a notable increase between 2006 and 2018 in the ACDs. Calibration of the scaling functions for cities with the actual coefficient of the DAC control estimate and a global orientation exponent (5/6) resulted in a 16% reduction of sealed ground. In conclusion, urban scaling laws offer a valuable tool for analyzing the complex dynamics of urban imperviousness and its control costs, thereby contributing to the formulation of more effective urban policies and planning.</span></p>

Possible explanations for the “Matthew effect” of rainfall in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei metropolitan area

Urbanization has amplified regional changes in rainfall associated with global warming, making urban flooding more frequent, but the role of urbanization in this process is still unclear. Based on the Google Earth Engine platform and the random forest algorithm, the land use classification results of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei metropolitan area were obtained, and the dynamic division of urban and rural meteorological stations was realized. Then, the “Matthew effect” of rainfall in the region is found, i.e., urbanization decreases light rainfall and increases heavy rainfall. The Geographical Detector model is used to identify the main factors influencing the amount and frequency of rainfall, and hypotheses are proposed accordingly. Finally, based on a total of 470 rainfall events at different stages of urbanization, it is found that light rainfall is mainly distributed at the upwind edge of the city, while rainfall of moderate intensity and above is mainly distributed downwind of the inner cities, and that temperature and subsurface resistance play an important role in the rainfall process. By elucidating the impact of urbanization on rainfall from different perspectives, we propose that city administrators are cognizant of the potential for heatwave hazards associated with a reduction in rain days and flooding caused by increased rainstorm.

Under five children diarrhea prevalence and associated factors in slum areas of Gondar City Northwest Ethiopia: a community based cross-sectional study

Slum areas in Ethiopia have high poverty status. In addition, they possess poor water and sanitation accesses such as unsafe drinking water, a lower number of sanitation facilities and poor hygienic conditions. These scenarios are important in the occurrence of diarrhea among under five children’s. However, there are many studies conducted on diarrhea among under five children in Ethiopia, unfortunately, the majority usually didn’t give enough coverage for the burden of diarrhea among under five children in slum areas. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of diarrhea and associated factors among under five children in slum areas of Gondar City. This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in slum areas of Gondar City among under five children from March 28 to April 28, 2023. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to collect a sample of 836 through interview-administered methods using a structured data collection tool. The collected data was manually checked for completeness, coded, and entered into EPI Info version 7.1.5.2 software. It was then exported to Stata version 14.1 software for descriptive analysis, as well as bivariable and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses, to identify factors associated with diarrhea among under five children. The prevalence of diarrhea among under five children at 95% confidence interval was 24.64% (CI 21.71–27.56). Mothers/caretakers age < 25 years (AOR = 1.88, 95% CI 1.16–3.06), mothers/caretakers age between 28 and 31 years (AOR = 1.82, 95% CI 1.08–3.05), mothers/caretakers who had no formal education (AOR = 3.18, 95% CI 1.86–5.41), mothers/caretakers who had primary education (AOR = 1.67, 95% CI 1.09–2.57), income level between 4877 and 5643 Ethiopian Birr (AOR = 1.81, 95% CI 1.04–3.15), family size greater than five (AOR = 1.54, 95% CI 1.00–2.36), flies around the house (AOR = 2.27, 95% CI 1.38–3.73), playground not clean (AOR = 2.70, 95% CI 1.62–4.50), breastfed for ≥ 1 year (AOR = 0.63, 95% CI 0.41–0.97), mothers/caretakers who did not wash their hands before food preparation and eating (AOR = 2.31, 95% CI 1.39–3.58), mothers/caretakers who did not wash their hands after visiting latrine (AOR = 1.60, 95% CI 1.07–2.38) were significantly associated factors with diarrhea among under five children in slum areas of Gondar City. The study indicates that the prevalence of diarrhea was higher among under five children in slum areas of Gondar City. The Gondar City Administration Education Bureau should give great emphasis on improving mother’s and caretaker’s education. In addition, the Gondar City Administration Health Bureau should educate mothers and caretakers about breastfeeding, sanitation, and hygiene in the slum areas of Gondar City.

Manajemen Komunikasi dalam Pelayanan Penerbitan Sertifikat Tanah di Kantor Pertanahan Kota Administrasi Jakarta Pusat

This research will focus on service communication, factors that support and inhibit services as well as the effectiveness of land certificate issuance service communication at the Central Jakarta City Administration Land Office. There were 7 informants who were sources in this research. Data collection techniques were carried out using library research and field research. This aims to make it easier for service users to access service information available at the Central Jakarta City Administration Land Office. (2) Factors that support land certificate issuance services at the Central Jakarta City Administration Land Office, include: the existence of regulations that make it easier, the availability of qualified human resources and personnel with integrity, the existence of technology that helps make work easier, and reform of the public service bureaucracy. implemented to reduce service time to be shorter. (3) Obstacles that are still encountered in land certificate issuance services at the Central Jakarta City Administration Land Office, namely: the status of the land is still in dispute, meaning that the issuance of land certificates must wait for legal certainty regarding the ownership of the land in question, incomplete land archives or documents, public ignorance In fulfilling the requirements for issuing land certificates, computer facilities to support public services sometimes experience errors so that service activities become hampered, and there are a handful of service officers who do not understand service SOPs. (4) The effectiveness of public services in issuing land certificates at the Central Jakarta City Administration Land Office still needs to be improved. For this reason, we have carried out various innovations through the Julapat Program (7 Quick Services) and the Landing Service, which is a service for people who do not have time to take care of land documents on weekdays and can take care of them on weekends. Apart from that, the Central Jakarta City Administration Land Office also continues to serve applicants during break times. This program aims to get closer to applicants directly and show service users that managing services is simple and cheap.

Reimagining cities as self-organising capital creating ecosystems

Executives who lead cities face considerable challenges. Cities are complex ecosystems comprising myriad interacting systems, including information systems, which are vital for their operation and prosperity. Recognizing the value that information systems can offer, significant investments have been made to acquire these systems and make cities smarter or more intelligent. However, many smart city projects have failed to deliver on their promises due to a lack of clarity regarding their overall goals. Smarter or more intelligent towards what end? This article provides a systems-inspired approach to urban planning based on the premise that a city is a self-organising, capital-creating ecosystem composed of a city's administration and the many organizations within its domain. As the city's keystone entity, the administration's role is to create capital that enhances the capital productivity of other ecosystem members and nourishes innovators to boost capital creativity. A capital improvement budgeting framework can specify the allocation of all forms of capital to promote symbiotic connections between the various entities within a city. A city stack is designed to guide a city's administration in cooperating with its self-organising ecosystem. A research agenda to foster capital creation by city leaders is also outlined.

Growing gardens into neighborhoods through transdisciplinary research

The increasing densification of urban spaces can negatively impact biodiversity in the city, but the diversity of green spaces also offers new opportunities to implement biodiversity conservation interventions. Urban community gardens are social-ecological systems that support biodiversity, ecosystem services, and positive human-nature interactions. In turn, community gardens can provide ideal “real-world labs” to co-create, test, and collectively implement biodiversity conservation strategies with gardeners that can be transferred to and mainstreamed across other urban ecosystems. This is important because the impact of biodiversity-friendly gardening strategies is not yet systematically researched, nor how this knowledge can be transferred to other urban ecosystems. In our transdisciplinary research, we are developing, implementing, and testing biodiversity conservation interventions focused on promoting insect diversity with gardeners and neighborhood residents from Berlin and Munich, Germany. Our aim is to engage with and support city residents in biodiversity-based urban greening. To do so, we work at the nexus between civil society (gardeners, neighborhood residents, ecologically oriented organizations) and relevant city actors (city council, district committees, city administration) to anchor the participation of civil society in the ecological transformation of the city. In this communication article, we present our transdisciplinary research concept, participatory methods, and experience thus far in translating research to practice, and supporting the role of city residents to implement biodiversity interventions in their gardens and in their neighborhoods.

Artificial Internet of Things, Sensor-Based Digital Twin Urban Computing Vision Algorithms, and Blockchain Cloud Networks in Sustainable Smart City Administration

The aim of this paper is to synthesize and analyze existing evidence on interconnected sensor networks and digital urban governance in data-driven smart sustainable cities. The research topic of this systematic review is whether and to what extent smart city governance can effectively integrate the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT), intelligent decision algorithms based on big data technologies, and cloud computing. This is relevant since smart cities place special emphasis on the involvement of citizens in decision-making processes and sustainable urban development. To investigate the work to date, search outcome management and systematic review screening procedures were handled by PRISMA and Shiny app flow design. A quantitative literature review was carried out in June 2024 for published original and review research between 2018 and 2024. For qualitative and quantitative data management and analysis in the research review process, data extraction tools, study screening, reference management software, evidence map visualization, machine learning classifiers, and reference management software were harnessed. Dimensions and VOSviewer were deployed to explore and visualize the bibliometric data.

Dialogical Accounting, Knowledge, and Power in a Public Policy Management Council

Dialogical Accounting, Knowledge, and Power in a Public Policy Management Council

A Proposed Frame Work for Enhancing Competitiveness of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are important agents of development throughout the world. Promoting a country’s SME sector plays a crucial role in maintaining high employment and income generation and is therefore critical for achieving sustainable grow by enhancing SMEs competitiveness. The general objective of this paper is to develop a theoretical frame work model for garment SMEs competitiveness that supports garment manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to enhance their competitiveness by identifying the possible competitiveness factors. To achieve the presented objectives, a purposive sample basis on selected garments manufacturing SMEs found at three different clusters in Addis Abeba city administration is used. The data in this paper are both primary and secondary data. Primary data was collected though questionnaires, interviews and observations, while secondary data sources referred from company’s documents and several articles from reputable international journals. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches are used to analyse the collected data using various statistical programs. The results of the paper found that in garment manufacturing SMEs the main difficulties faced in performance dimension which is divided into financial performance and non-financial performance are the lack of collateral, the lack of proven track records, the lack of proper business plans and the need to show good sales turnover are the major financial performance parameters that deters the competitiveness. The SMEs do not have well established system to support effective and efficient implementation systems for productivity improvement. Finally the garment manufacturing SMEs are potentially wasting valuable and scarce resources since they don’t implement productivity improvement tools and techniques Lack of appropriate machinery and equipment are the main non-financial performance parameter that deters the competitiveness. To tackle the problems and enhance competitiveness of garment manufacturing firms, a theoretical conceptual model based on this requirement has been developed and the implementation requires a coordinated and well organized system among the actors (at macro and micro level) in the value chain. Some of the major problems such as lack of skilled manpower and infrastructure have to be tackled by the government and private sectors. And the other problems could be approached by using some modern management philosophies (such as just-in-time manufacturing, business process re-engineering, lean production) and scientific methods like production planning and control.

Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Vibrio cholerae isolates from cholera outbreak sites in Ethiopia

BackgroundCholera is an acute infectious disease caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water with Vibrio cholerae. Cholera remains a global threat to public health and an indicator of inequity and lack of social development. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of V. cholerae from cholera outbreak sites in Ethiopia.MethodsAcross-sectional study was conducted from May 2022 to October 2023 across different regions in Ethiopia: Oromia National Regional State, Amhara National Regional State and Addis Ababa City Administration. A total of 415 fecal samples were collected from the three regions. Two milliliter fecal samples were collected from each study participants. The collected samples were cultured on Blood Agar, MacConkey Agar and Thiosulfate Citrate Bile Salt Sucrose Agar. A series of biochemical tests Oxidase test, String test, Motility, Indole, Citrate, Gas production, H2S production, Urease test were used to identify V. cholerae species. Both polyvalent and monovalent antisera were used for agglutination tests to identify and differentiate V. cholerae serogroup and serotypes. In addition, Kirby-Bauer Disk diffusion antibiotic susceptibility test method was done. Data were registered in epi-enfo version 7 and analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Science version 25. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the prevalence of Vibrio cholerae. Logistic regression model was fitted and p-value < 0.05 was considered as statically significant.ResultsThe prevalence of V. cholerae in the fecal samples was 30.1%. Majority of the isolates were from Oromia National Regional State 43.2% (n = 54) followed by Amhara National Regional State 31.2% (n = 39) and Addis Ababa City Administration 25.6% (n = 32). Most of the V. cholerae isolates were O1 serogroups 90.4% (n = 113) and Ogawa serotypes 86.4% (n = 108). Majority of the isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin 100% (n = 125), tetracycline 72% (n = 90) and gentamycin 68% (n = 85). More than half of the isolates were resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole 62.4% (n = 78) and ampicillin 56.8% (n = 71). In this study, participants unable to read and write were about four times more at risk for V. cholerae infection (AOR: 3.8, 95% CI: 1.07–13.33). In addition, consumption of river water were about three times more at risk for V. cholerae infection (AOR: 2.8, 95% CI: 1.08–7.08).Conclusionour study revealed a high prevalence of V. cholerae from fecal samples. The predominant serogroups and serotypes were O1 and Ogawa, respectively. Fortunately, the isolates showed susceptible to most tested antibiotics. Drinking water from river were the identified associated risk factor for V. cholerae infection. Protecting the community from drinking of river water and provision of safe and treated water could reduce cholera outbreaks in the study areas.

Between the democratization of housing and the neoliberal responsibilization of citizens: The proliferation of co-housing in Viennese city planning

In contemporary city planning, self-organized collaborative forms of housing are flourishing. However, in the literature, the increasing incorporation of citizens in housing and planning has been interpreted in very different ways. The research on urban planning has understood the proliferation of co-housing groups as indicating changing participatory demands of citizens on one hand, and as an effort to organize social change on an everyday level on the other. In contrast, critical social researchers have interpreted the rise of collaborative housing not as a democratization, but as a shift of urban governance towards the responsibilization of citizens. In this article, we use these two theoretical perspectives for making sense of the political values that are present in the contemporary proliferation of co-housing groups in Viennese urban planning. The empirical base of our endeavor is a series of qualitative interviews with different stakeholders (city planners, administrators, architects, developers, and neighbors) and members of co-housing groups in the city development area Wildgarten in the South of the city. We conclude that in the Wildgarten, the self-empowerment of citizens goes hand-in-hand with an increasing top-down steering by a neoliberal entrepreneurial city. Furthermore, we found that the co-housing groups tend to willingly accept the hierarchy between planning bodies and themselves, which contradicts the political marketing strategies of social transformation and democratization attached to Wildgarten. Simultaneously, possibly as a consequence from top-down citizen responsibilization, our findings show that co-housing groups often focus more on a democratized group interior than on transforming society at large.

Professional Associations as Networks: How Informal Networking Characterizes Inter-Agency Collaboration from a Social Psychology Perspective

Relatively little empirical and theoretical research in public management explores the roles of professional associations in collaborative governance and inter-governmental relationships. Drawing on network perspectives and social psychology literature, this study aims to bridge the gap by examining the case of the Los Angeles County Management Council (LACMC) and theorizing about the characteristics of inter-agency collaboration that is derived from local professional associations. Results from the qualitative analysis reveal five key themes: relational comfort and affect-based trust, autonomy and spontaneity in knowledge sharing, shared identity and group cohesion, enhanced system awareness, and informal accountability.

Assessing nature’s contributions to people in a peri-urban protected area, southeast Brazil: integrating feedback loops and participatory scenario planning

ABSTRACT Urban expansion is a key driver of change that has been affecting nature’s contributions to people (NCP) in peri-urban regions near metropolitan areas. In southeast Brazil, Campinas Environmental Protected Area (EPA) is a peri-urban, sustainable-use protected area located within the metropolis of Campinas. Campinas EPA provides relevant NCP at the local and regional level, including water provision for 1.2 million people, nature-based tourism and food production. We conducted a participatory, qualitative assessment of past and future trends of NCP at Campinas EPA, in collaboration with the management council of the protected area. We collected data through direct observation, semi-structured interviews and scenario workshops. In our research process, we innovate using the NCP framework, a concept acknowledging multiple values and knowledge systems, coupled with ecosystem services, a concept already understood by management councilors. To assess past trends (2000–2020), we built a causal-loop diagram which depicts an amplifying feedback loop that fosters change towards an urban-dominated state. To assess future trends (2020–2040), we facilitated scenario planning workshops to create and contrast a business-as-usual and a desirable future for NCP, illustrated in the form of artistic panels. We identified a local agroecological farm that represents a seed of good anthropocenes – i.e. the farm is an innovative example of what a positive future could look like, thus providing relevant evidence on how to achieve a desirable scenario. Our findings shed light on how urban expansion within peri-urban areas impacts NCP and suggest strategies for positive transformations.

Implementation responsiveness: linking public opinion to policy implementation

There has been considerable research progress in understanding how governments adapt public policies in response to public opinion. We propose a new concept, ‘implementation responsiveness’, which refers to the extent to which policy implementation is adapted in response to public opinion. By examining documented texts about the actions of Chinese city executive bureaus in response to online public opinions on environmental protection issues, we provide insight into implementation responsiveness. The coding results reveal that implementation responsiveness is widespread in the responses of Chinese city administrations and is manifested as an increase in intensity or expanded scope of implementation. Based on the sandwich model, we also compare the impact of top-down and bottom-up pressure on implementation responsiveness by testing variables such as written directives, repeated complaints, and intensity of public sentiment. The results show that only written directives have a significant and stable positive effect on implementation responsiveness, which implies that leadership authority affects implementation responsiveness more significantly than social pressure. The findings offer novel perspectives on responsiveness theory and have practical implications for grassroots governments facing the challenge of balancing scarce policy resources with the need to make changes in response to public opinion.

The relationship between teachers’ engagement in school-based continuous professional development and their readiness for change in the Injibara City Administration primary schools of Ethiopia

ABSTRACT The general purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between teachers’ engagement in school-based continuous professional development and their readiness for change in Injibara City Administration primary schools. This study used a correlation research design, and data was collected from randomly selected 95 primary school teachers in Injibara City Administration primary schools. The collected data is analyzed using a one-sample t-test, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and one-way ANOVA. The findings revealed that teachers were less ready to change their teaching practices. Furthermore, it was found that teachers’ readiness for change dimensions had a statically significant correlation with teachers’ engagement in continuous professional development at p<.05. Lastly, the findings of this study indicated that teachers’ experience in continuous professional development engagement is a significant predictor of their readiness for change. Therefore, the school leaders, stakeholders, government, and Woreda education office should do tasks that can enhance teachers’ readiness for change.

The effect of organizational culture on trainers’ job satisfaction in the Addis Ababa City Administration, Ethiopia

The effect of organizational culture on trainers’ job satisfaction in the Addis Ababa City Administration, Ethiopia

Smart e-waste management: a revolutionary incentive-driven IoT solution with LPWAN and edge-AI integration for environmental sustainability.

Managing e-waste involves collecting it, extracting valuable metals at low costs, and ensuring environmentally safe disposal. However, monitoring this process has become challenging due to e-waste expansion. With IoT technology like LoRa-LPWAN, pre-collection monitoring becomes more cost-effective. Our paper presents an e-waste collection and recovery system utilizing the LoRa-LPWAN standard, integrating intelligence at the edge and fog layers. The system incentivizes WEEE holders, encouraging participation in the innovative collection process. The city administration oversees this process using innovative trucks, GPS, LoRaWAN, RFID, and BLE technologies. Analysis of IoT performance factors and quantitative assessments (latency and collision probability on LoRa, Sigfox, and NB-IoT) demonstrate the effectiveness of our incentive-driven IoT solution, particularly with LoRa standard and Edge AI integration. Additionally, cost estimates show the advantage of LoRaWAN. Moreover, the proposed IoT-based e-waste management solution promises cost savings, stakeholder trust, and long-term effectiveness through streamlined processes and human resource training. Integration with government databases involves data standardization, API development, security measures, and functionality testing for efficient management.

Commanding heights: the role of wealthy ‘starchitects’ in city remaking

Censuses of the world’s super-rich now include among their ranks several architects whose personal financial position stems from their status as influential ‘starchitects’. We discuss the economic, political and social forces that concentrate fortunes in the hands of a professional elite who are increasingly also members of a global wealth elite. The rise of such starchitects exemplifies how capital flows are generative of subsidiary but important classes of professional agents who have accumulated significant fortunes as a result of city (re)making. Thus a select few in this field possess the kind of ‘money power’ that is generative of a capacity to direct changes in the built environment. Courted by city administrations and super-rich clients starchitects are increasingly charged with delivering symbolic projects that reinforce expansionary circulations of capital. We develop a concept sketch of how a global cadre of starchitects and their practices are fundamentally aligned with the shift of many cities to plan star-driven vehicles in order to capture capital. We discuss three elements that are crucial in determining the agency of starchitects: first, economic and political constraints or opportunities; second, normative conditions within industry and city institutional contexts; and, third, the important role of professional and power networks.

Antenatal Depressive Symptoms and Its Associated Factors Among Pregnant Women in Northeast, Ethiopia

Antenatal depression is of utmost concern to public health due to its potential to negatively impact both mother and child health. Less research has been done on it, and it is not receiving enough attention in the study area. This study aimed to assess the magnitude of antenatal depressive symptoms and its associated factors among pregnant mothers in Dessie City administration, Ethiopia. From March 1 to 30, 2021, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 451 pregnant mothers in Dessie City Administration. Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPND) was used to assess antenatal depression. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess the determinants of depressive symptoms among the women. The proportion of antenatal depressive symptoms was 18.6% with 95% CI [15.1%, 22.2%]. Age greater than 30, monthly income less than 1,500 Ethiopian Birr, history of mental illness family member, a recent intimate partner violence history, death of a close family in recent year, and insomnia were significant factors affecting antenatal depression among pregnant mothers. Depression during pregnancy are high in the study area. Age &gt;30 years, monthly income &lt;1,500 Ethiopian Birr, history of mental illness in the family, experiencing recent intimate partner violence, death of a close family in recent year, and insomnia were independent predictors of depressive symptoms. Considering the integration of mental health services with maternal health care and providing attention to pregnant women during follow-up are recommended actions to reduce depressive symptoms.

Development of the "main grounds of rules" for public municipal administration of capital cities and Odesa

This study is dedicated to exploring the practice of building a local self-government system in the Russian Empire, which differed from the European experience. This system was created exclusively through the government's initiatives and efforts, with minimal public intervention. The combination of methodological approaches to solving the set tasks relied precisely on the historical dimension. Combined with a functional approach, it allowed for reconstructing a systematic picture of the researched subject. This way, government measures were analysed to develop the "main grounds of rules" for public urban administration of capital cities and Odesa. Special attention was paid to the differences in the Regulation on the Public Order of the City of Odesa regarding implementing the principle of all-class inclusiveness and independence in public administration. Given the urgency of the problem of self-government for society, it was highly politicised, especially by Soviet historiography, and was far from impartial research. Therefore, the authors aimed to provide an unbiased view of the legislative process. Prospects for further research lie in seeking ways to return the self-governing traits genetically inherent to Ukrainians and to build Ukrainian statehood based on the dominance of local self-government in the political-organisational and institutional-functional aspects.