Medium-sized Cities Research Articles

Urban Structuring, Inequalities, and Differences: Contexts and Analytical Perspectives in Two Medium-Sized Cities

Urban Structuring, Inequalities, and Differences: Contexts and Analytical Perspectives in Two Medium-Sized Cities

Urban Restructuring in Volta Redonda-RJ: a Polycentric and Fragmented Medium-Sized City

Urban Restructuring in Volta Redonda-RJ: a Polycentric and Fragmented Medium-Sized City

State Coercive Power and the War on Cults in China

As a high-capacity authoritarian regime, China has made immense efforts to exterminate the Falun Gong and other “evil cults.” However, cult activities persist throughout the country. This article seeks to explain why the extensive government repression in China failed to achieve its goal of eliminating “evil cults.” By examining how economic reforms in China have created a relatively safe space for illegal activities, the article highlights the importance of going beyond a focus on the conventional coercive apparatus, and adopting a broad concept of coercive capacity for understanding authoritarian durability. State penetration facilitated by grassroots institutions provides a particularly important foundation for the regime’s coercive power. This study draws on a combination of quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative study analysis uses a dataset compiled from 5,852 judicial cases in which 8,785 cult activities were prosecuted. The qualitative analysis is conducted as a case study based on fieldwork in a medium-size city in Hunan province.

Walking Choice in Medium-sized and Small Cities:

Walking Choice in Medium-sized and Small Cities:

The Impact of Neighborhood Characteristics on Routine and Gang-Involved Gun Violence: Are Structural Covariates Salient?

ABSTRACT An extensive body of literature has described the influence of neighborhood characteristics, including socio-economic deprivation, residential turnover, and racial/ethnic composition on gun crime. There have been limited efforts, however, to examine the extent to which these effects might vary based on the nature of gun crime – particularly in communities outside of major cities like Chicago or St. Louis. This study attempts to address this issue through application of negative binomial regression and equality of coefficients tests to data obtained from the crime logs and American Community Survey data of a medium-sized city in the Southeastern U.S. Specifically, this study examines (in)equality in the structural covariates of gun crimes when these offenses are disaggregated by gang-involved gun crime versus non-gang-involved gun crime across a sample of 153 census block groups in Chattanooga. Results indicate that the relative influence of neighborhood structural characteristics varies, to some extent, by type of gun crime, illustrating the need for disaggregated measures as a matter of exploring relationships between sub-crime types.

Quantitative Analysis of Peri-Urbanization: Developing a Peri-Urban Index for Medium-Sized Cities Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process—A Case Study of Yozgat, Turkey

The rapid development of urbanization necessitates effective analytical methods to address its complexities. Peri-urbanization, the expansion of settlement boundaries and urban spread, is a critical aspect of this phenomenon. This study introduces a quantitative method to analyze peri-urbanization, providing a peri-urban index (PUI) for medium-sized cities based on peri-urban dynamics. Utilizing the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), the weight values of influencing dynamics are calculated, establishing a peri-urban scale (PUS) ranging from one to five based on rural and urban characteristics. Applied to a medium-sized case study city, the method assesses the peri-urbanization from 2007 to 2022. Four main dynamics—socio-demographics, economic-employment, land use-accessibility, and building-texture patterns—and fourteen sub-dynamics were identified and weighted using AHP. The city’s PUI values over different years reveal a 41.6% increase, indicating significant peri-urbanization. This quantitative approach, which innovatively integrates multiple numerical analysis methods, not only highlights the peri-urbanization trends of the city but also provides a comparative analysis framework for other cities. The method’s ability to track changes over time and compare different urban areas supports the development of sustainable urbanization strategies, ensuring balanced growth and resource allocation. This method offers urban planners, policymakers, and architects a powerful tool to manage and guide future urban expansion effectively through interdisciplinary collaboration.

Measurement and Evaluation of the Business Environment in Large and Medium-Sized Cities in China

The comprehensive development level of the business environment reflects the quality of a region’s economic development, and a good business environment will give a city a strong vitality. This paper uses the entropy method to measure and evaluate the business environment of 106 large and medium-sized cities in China from 2017 to 2021. The results show that: From the spatial point of view, the business environment index of China’s cities shows a gradually decreasing pattern from east to west and from south to north. The balance of the business environment of large and medium-sized cities in China is divided into four levels according to the standard deviation of the ranking of each sub-index. The greater the standard deviation, the more unbalanced the overall development of the business environment in the region. Finally, this paper put forward countermeasures and suggestions to further optimize the business environment.

Exploratory Study on the Impact on Emotional Health Derived from Participation in an Inclusive Choir.

Participation in group activities such as choirs has been shown to have positive effects on emotional health and overall well-being. Inclusive choirs, which integrate individuals of various abilities and diverse backgrounds, provide a unique space for social interaction, emotional expression, and inclusion. This study aims to explore the impact of participation in an inclusive choir on the emotional health of its members, identifying both positive and negative emotional impacts as well as personal experiences derived from their participation. This longitudinal exploratory study combines participant observation, field notes, focus groups, and questionnaires to gain a deep understanding of the participant's emotional experiences through their narratives. The study was conducted in an inclusive choir located in a medium-sized city in Spain, which brings together people of various ages, genders, abilities, and cultural backgrounds. The results indicated that most participants experienced significant improvements in their emotional well-being, including increased self-esteem, a greater sense of belonging, and reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression. Participants also reported that the choir provided a safe space for emotional expression and the building of meaningful relationships. Participation in an inclusive choir can have a considerable positive impact on the emotional health of its members.

An examination of the needs and preferences for student housing in Germany in relation to different financial backgrounds using the example of the city of Aachen

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to determine the needs and preferences of students concerning different areas and attributes of dormitories, taking their financial background into account.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative survey was conducted in the 21 publicly funded dormitories in Aachen (Germany) in 2022 to determine students’ needs and preferences for housing. In total, more than 1,200 students participated in the 10-min online survey.FindingsThe findings show the needs and preferences of students from different financial backgrounds for various areas in the dormitory. These include the location of the dormitory, the outdoor area, the shared spaces, the sanitary facilities (bathroom and kitchen), and the students’ private rooms. The results are divided into needs that all students have regardless of their financial background (“must-haves”) and needs that correspond to individual financial groups (“nice-to-haves”).Research limitations/implicationsThe results relate to the medium-sized city of Aachen as a case study in Germany – with an average rent level – and its urban situation. The outcomes are therefore only transferable to a limited extent to cities with different framework conditions, as the needs and preferences of students may differ.Practical implicationsThe results serve as a valuable guideline for future development in the field of student housing for different rental segments.Originality/valueThe paper fills a research gap in the identification of current student housing needs and preferences in German dormitories, taking financial backgrounds into account.

Changes in Social Media Real Estate Information and Apartment Prices in Small and Medium-Sized Cities: A Case Study of Donghae City

Changes in Social Media Real Estate Information and Apartment Prices in Small and Medium-Sized Cities: A Case Study of Donghae City

지역 문예회관 활성화에 미치는 영향요인 분석: 지역 특성 요인의 유의성 검증

This study aims to analyze the factors that influence the revitalization of local cultural and arts centers, which have been established to foster regional cultural development and enhance the cultural lives of local residents, within the context of past decentralization efforts and recent emphasis on balanced regional development. Specifically, the study examines the significance of various social and economic conditions affecting local area, such as population decline, regional extinction, aging populations, youth outmigration, and economic slowdown, on the revitalization of local cultural and arts centers. By investigating the causal relationship between the current limitations of local areas and the activation of local cultural and arts centers, the study seeks to propose future strategic directions for regional cultural policies to enhance the vitality of these centers. The research employs a panel regression analysis on data from 53 local cultural and arts centers in small and medium-sized cities, using performance-related data from 2016 to 2020, as detailed in the Board of Audit and Inspection's report on the Status of Population Structure Change III(Local Administration). The analysis reveals that higher operational expertise, achieved through the residency of professional performance groups and the employment of specialized personnel for performance planning and related projects, as well as higher operational capacity for hosting and planning both fine and popular art performances, positively impact the revitalization of local cultural and arts centers. However, regional characteristics were found to have no significant causal relationship with the activation of local cultural and arts centers. Consequently, to enhance the activation of cultural and arts facilities, including local cultural and arts centers, local areas should not remain constrained by their current physical limitations or social and economic issues. Instead, efforts should focus on developing regional culture through the branding of cultural and arts facilities, facilitated by necessary changes in systems and policies that allow for the continuous infusion of professional personnel and high-quality art programs into local cultural and arts centers.

A Study on the Impact of the COVID-19 Virus Epidemic and Countermeasures on the Inflow of Wastewater Treatment Plants in Small and Medium-sized Cities

A Study on the Impact of the COVID-19 Virus Epidemic and Countermeasures on the Inflow of Wastewater Treatment Plants in Small and Medium-sized Cities

Digital tools for knowledge exchange and sustainable public food procurement in community kindergartens: A case study in Słupsk, Poland

This article presents a case study on the experimental co-creation process of a digital platform supporting Sustainable Public Food Procurement (SPFP) in public kindergartens in a medium-sized city in Poland. The organisation of SPFP requires a dedicated technological infrastructure to ensure the information flow among food producers, kindergarten employees, children and parents. To this end, a digital platform was designed to enable contact, assessment of food quality and food procurement environmental impact, and the communication of needs and problems among all the actors involved in the food procurement system for kindergartens. The article also discusses the results of the field research and the method of Urban Living Labs, highlighting the key challenges faced by those seeking to combine knowledge about food and the natural environment with public food procurement. The principal difficulties include the availability, accessibility and possible application of data on the environmental costs of food production, the individualisation of needs and motivations related to public catering in educational facilities, and the specific nature of the public sector responsible for public food procurement.

Ticks and spirochetes of the genus Borrelia in urban areas of Central-Western Poland.

Due to the extensive use of green urban areas as recreation places, city residents are exposed to tick-borne pathogens. The objectives of our study were (i) to determine the occurrence of ticks in urban green areas, focussing on areas used by humans such as parks, schools and kindergartens, and urban forests, and (ii) to assess the prevalence of Borrelia infections in ticks in Zielona Góra, a medium-sized city in western Poland. A total of 161 ticks representing the two species Ixodes ricinus (34 males, 51 females, 30 nymphs) and Dermacentor reticulatus (20 males, 26 females) were collected from 29 of 72 (40.3%) study sites. In total, 26.1% of the ticks (85.7% of I. ricinus and 14.3% of D. reticulatus) yielded DNA of Borrelia. The difference in the infection rate between I. ricinus and D. reticulatus was significant. Among infected ticks, the most frequent spirochete species were B. lusitaniae (50.0%) and B. afzelii (26.2%), followed by B. spielmanii (9.5%), B. valaisiana (7.1%), B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, (4.8%) and B. miyamotoi (2.4%). No co-infections were found. We did not observe a correlation in the occurrence of Borrelia spirochetes in ticks found in individual study sites that differed in terms of habitat type and height of vegetation. Our findings demonstrate that the Borrelia transmission cycles are active within urban habitats, pointing the need for monitoring of tick-borne pathogens in public green areas. They could serve as guidelines for authorities for the proper management of urban green spaces in a way that may limit tick populations and the potential health risks posed by tick-borne pathogens.

Pekerja Ekonomi Gig: Pengalaman Kerja Pengemudi Ojek Online Maxim dan Grab di Wilayah Timur Indonesia

This study aims to examine the work experience of online Ojek drivers in Kupang City who use the Maxim and Grab platforms. This research is motivated by the rapid development of online ojek services in Indonesia, including in Kupang City, as well as its important role in providing new economic opportunities. This research uses a qualitative approach with phenomenological methods to explore the subjective experiences of the drivers. In-depth interview techniques and participatory observation were used to collect data from 22 informants consisting of Maxim and Grab drivers. The results showed significant differences between the drivers' work experiences on the two platforms. Grab drivers prefer the strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that provide a sense of security, while Maxim drivers appreciate the flexibility of working hours offered. The main challenges faced by drivers include digital map inaccuracies, sudden order cancellations, accident risks, and poor road conditions. The rating system plays an important role in determining a driver's income, with high ratings increasing the number of orders. This research makes an important contribution to the literature by providing an in-depth comparative analysis of the work experience of online ojek drivers in a medium-sized city like Kupang. The findings also offer practical recommendations for online Ojek companies to improve driver welfare and provide useful data for policymakers in formulating regulations that support the welfare of online Ojek drivers.

A Bidirectional Research Method to Design a Smart City Evaluation System

This paper develops a two-way research method – both top-down and bottom-up – to define a “standard but tailored” assessment framework for smart cities, based on shared smart city concepts, but designed to respond to different needs of each city. The method aims not to design a measurement standard, but to define a process able to create the best smart city measurement system. It is based on a standard framework but tailored on each city – with its own features, problems, values, and ideas about the quality of life. This method overcomes the limitations of using standard framework, as it links smart city assessment tools to local policies but giving to the tool the authoritativeness deriving from the scientific literature and the robustness acquired from international nest practices. An empirical implementation supports the theoretical background and allows to validate the method, as it has been successfully implemented in Genoa, a medium-sized city in Italy looking for its own performance measurement system that allows comparison with other smart cities at the same time. The bidirectional method is designed by the authors of this paper, and it is a novelty in the international literature about research methodology for business and management studies.

The Impact of Urban Construction Land Expansion on Carbon Emissions from the Perspective of the Yangtze River Delta Integration, China

Regional integration plays a pivotal role in the socio-economic advancement of various global regions and is closely linked with the expansion of construction land. This expansion is a major contributor to urban carbon emissions. Utilizing a geographical regression discontinuity design (GRDD), this paper estimates the impact of urban construction land expansion on carbon emissions and explores the underlying mechanisms within the regional integration process of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), China. The findings reveal that urban construction land expansion significantly influences carbon emissions, displaying an inverted “U”-shaped pattern. Furthermore, this expansion affects carbon emissions through the transformation of industrial structures, shifts in consumption patterns, and enhancements in scientific and technological investments. Our findings span the performance of the Yangtze River Delta from its early development stages to a relatively mature phase. This paper also partially reveals how the Yangtze River Delta, with both megacities and large- to medium-sized cities, manages urban construction land expansion during the integration process and strives for low-carbon emissions reduction. These results can provide green growth recommendations that balance socio-economic development, low-carbon emissions, and social equity not only for other urban agglomerations in China but also for similar regions in other developing countries by altering construction land utilization patterns.

Spatial quality measurement of commercial streets in old cities of medium-sized cities in China

ABSTRACT Chinese urban development has entered the stage of stock planning, and as an important part of urban public space, the construction of street space has a direct impact on urban development. High-quality street space contributes to sustainable urban development.High-quality street spaces are highly important for constructing vibrant and sustainable cities. Taking Jiaozuo city, a medium-sized city, as an example, this article establishes an evaluation index system for commercial street space quality from the aspects of external characterization and objective material space and uses the Pearson correlation coefficient to explore the influencing factors of urban commercial street space quality. This study finds that (1) crowd activities on commercial streets have different temporal and spatial patterns on weekdays and days off; (2) the external characterization of urban street space quality has a significant positive correlation with objective material spatial elements such as the density of public transportation stops, functional density, functional mixing, interface continuity, and spatial green visibility rate; (3) the enhancement of street accessibility and fine-tuning of functions are key to improving the spatial quality of commercial streets.This study provides theoretical basis and ideas for improving the spatial quality of commercial streets in medium-sized cities in China and promoting sustainable urban development.

The connections between meteorological conditions and the health status of the population of Suceava municipality. A case study on respiratory afflictions throughout the years 2019-2020 in Suceava

Background: The present study addresses the real necessity of covering the gaps related to the actual understanding of the relationships established between weather patterns and the health status of the population. The urban area of Suceava is representative of medium-sized cities in Romania. Methods: Respiratory pathologies manifest with a temporal offset when compared to intervals with severe weather conditions. The consultation program is one that does not take into account the severity of weather conditions. Through statistical and graphical correlations, strong direct or inverse proportional relationships were identified between meteorological elements, the multitude of meteorological elements represented by bioclimatic indices, and the number of consultations provided to patients with respiratory afflictions. Results: In the winter season when t°C, THI, and TPr have minimum values and Pr has maximum values, the number of consultations for respiratory conditions is at an all-time high. The value of the coefficient of determination R2 between the monthly values of t°C and THI, respectively, the number of consultations for respiratory conditions exceeds the threshold of 0.7, and between the monthly values of Pr and the number of consultations for respiratory afflictions was 0.66. On days when t°C was ≤ 0°C, the average number of consultations for respiratory conditions was 6.1, decreasing to 3 on days when t°C was > 23°C. Conclusions: Respiratory diseases have the most favorable temporal framework for occurrence in the months of the cold season. In winter in Suceava, respiratory conditions affect twice as many people as in summer. Keywords: respiratory afflictions, meteorological elements, bioclimatic indices THI, Pr, and TPr

Good practices on transit operation design: bus drivers’ perspective

Understanding which aspects can have the greatest influence on the performance, comfort and safety of a public transport system can be of great help in improving its operation and promoting more sustainable mobility. To find out more about these aspects, a survey was carried out among more than 180 drivers of urban bus transport systems in seven medium-sized cities in Spain. The drivers' perspective has been insufficiently taken into account in previous research, despite the fact that these workers have a high and direct knowledge of the operation and problems directly affecting the service. The data collected through this survey have been analysed using descriptive statistics and an Ordered Probit model. The results have allowed us to detect specific aspects to improve the performance and comfort of users and drivers such as the correct location and length of bus stops and enforcing regulation to ensure that buses have priority in traffic and that illegal parking does not interfere with their operations. In addition, bus lanes were seen as important by drivers to improve the comfort and safety of the service. Other factors related to safety were generally highly rated and there was little dispersion in the responses about their importance, although aspects such as proper visibility, avoiding illegal parking, and campaigns to encourage bus users to be aware of their surroundings stood out in the answers. Finally, the payment system was highlighted as very relevant to ensure the performance and comfort of users and drivers during the operation at bus stops. Improving this system was identified as the measure that could have the greatest impact on the performance of the service as a whole.