Provision Of Social Infrastructure Research Articles

The governance of affordable housing through public-private partnerships: Critical entanglements

The debates about Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in planning and housing are characterised by varying perspectives, with some considering PPPs efficient and others viewing them as inherently problematic. These differing views often revolve around the perceived dichotomy between public and private sector objectives and timelines. While dichotomies can provide initial clarity, they often oversimplify the nuances and complexities of real-world issues, including in PPPs. This paper draws on the literature on governance, planning and housing with a focus on teasing out public-private sector relationships in land and property. Using a case study approach of a PPP programme for affordable housing led by Lisbon Municipality, the three main goals of the paper are to, first, determine whether and how partnerships can contribute to social infrastructure provision, including affordable housing; second, determine the multiple objectives of the various stakeholders involved in a public-private partnership; and third, determine the timelines for those objectives. Our findings suggest that there is a tendency for PPP participants and observers to rely on overly simplistic interpretations of the public interest, and on dichotomies or simplistic viewpoints on the objectives and timelines of the various stakeholders. By avoiding these oversimplifications, we can better understand the growing complexity of urban governance in the development of social infrastructure, particularly in affordable housing.

Social Infrastructure Provision Assessment as a Tool for Implementing Provincial Socio-Economic Policy

This article outlines the concept of a tool for the implementation of socio-economic policy and considers the assessment of social infrastructure provision of the population as one of them, namely a systemic feedback tool. The paper discusses the importance of social infrastructure for the socio-economic development of the province and the methods of assessing the provision of the population with it, identifies the main stages of this procedure and its relationship with other key tools, which is presented in the form of a graphical scheme; discusses the main tasks and features of rationing of indicators as a procedure for developing a reference measure of assessment; discusses and systematizes the main approaches to the calculation of socio-infrastructural provision. At the same time, not infrastructure objects, but more fractional units — elements — are taken as calculation units. It is proposed to systematize various calculation methods in the form of a matrix depending on the arguments used.

Traumatic Brain Injury Deaths in Bauchi, Nigeria: A Single Center One-year Experience

Introduction: Traumatic brain injury is one of the leading causes of hospital admissions with resulting morbidity and mortality. It has become a major health problem in our environment. Mortalities from TBI vary from 10-36 per 100,000 populations and 2% death rate has been reported. The aim of this study was to study the trend of traumatic brain injury deaths within one year in our hospital. Methodology: This was a retrospective study included all deaths from traumatic brain injuries recorded within a year (December 2021 –November 2022) at our facility. The exclusion criteria were deaths from TBI occurred outside our facility but were brought in dead. Results: Forty–two deaths were recorded over a year period following traumatic brain injury (TBI) where 1,045 patients were attended to on account of TBI. The mean age of those that died from TBI was 45±15 and male had more mortality than female with 3:1. Mortality was pronounced more in 4th and 5th decades of life representing 55% of all deaths. Conclusion: TBI related deaths occurred across all age groups and the maximum number of deaths occurred in 41-50 years with Road traffic accident as the leading causes of TBI related deaths. Road safety enforcement, provision of social infrastructure like good road and provision of well-equipped health facilities with neurosurgical services closer to rural communities will reduce the mortality rate from TBI.

Distributional Inequality in Social Infrastructural Provision in Etim Ekpo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

There is a growing level of imbalance in the distribution of social infrastructure among communities especially in the developing countries, which has considerably impeded the socio-economic development of these countries. This study investigated the pattern of distribution of social infrastructure stock in Etim Ekpo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Data for the study were obtained from the Akwa Ibom State Statistical Yearbook complemented by direct visit to the sampled settlements in order to ascertain the available infrastructure and update same with the information obtained through secondary sources. Through a systematic random sampling, 30 communities were selected from all the 84 communities that made up the study area while the Z-score variate was employed in determining the distributional inequality in social infrastructure provision in the sampled communities. The results of the standardized and composite indicator scores of social infrastructure provision in the study area reveals that majority (20) of the rural communities are disadvantaged in terms of social infrastructure delivery as large-scale inadequacy and distributional inequality in social infrastructure provision abounds in the study area. The study recommends the urgent need for deliberate efforts geared at increase budgetary allocations for the provision of infrastructure facilities and a well supervised expenditure on the provision of these facilities in the rural communities to be made by the government as these facilities have been found to influence productivity of the rural dwellers and also affect their sustainability. Added to this, is the need for the mapping of the developmental patterns at the state level of the study area, as it would provide veritable tool for policy makers attempting to balance the distribution of social infrastructure in order to enhance the spread of development in all facets of the state.

Actualising social sustainability through adaptive reuse innovations within the context of sustainable development

Sustainable Development (SD) is characterised of social, economic, and environmental components; however, the social component of SD has received little attention from academics, but recently, this has changed as the notion that growth is incomplete without equity gained more traction. One way to achieve the UN Goal 16 of ‘Promoting peaceful, just, and inclusive societies’ is through the concept of adaptive reuse innovation. Therefore, this paper aims to identify how the adaptive reuse concept has promoted the social sustainability concept through a systematic literature review (SLR). The SLR is necessary to summarise available evidence on the social sustainability potential of the adaptive reuse (AR). It further serves to create awareness of the reuse of building as an inclusive innovation critical for sustainable development. Using SLR, 56 relevant studies were extracted from the web of science and Scopus databases. A content analysis of five identified themes from the studies showed that adaptive reuse contributed to social sustainability through provision of social infrastructure, social cohesion, enhancing social health/well-being. There is need to advance research in areas of human adaptability, social awareness, and education on adaptive reuse.

Fiscal policy and social infrastructure provision under alternative growth and distribution regimes

Fiscal policy and social infrastructure provision under alternative growth and distribution regimes

Demographic well-being and social infrastructure facilities availability: The Republic of Karelia municipalities case study

Subject. This article analyzes the quality of life of the population of the Republic of Karelia. Objectives. The article aims to identify key trends in the development of social infrastructure in the Republic of Karelia. Methods. For the study, we used retrospective and statistical analyses. Results. The article describes four groups of municipalities of the Republic of Karelia depending on the level of demographic well-being and social infrastructure provision. Conclusions. The results of the study can be used by regional authorities when designing programmes for the strategic development of the economy.

The Changing Role of Student Housing as Social Infrastructure

The role of student housing within social infrastructure provision is arguably overlooked. This is a vital issue, as purpose-built student accommodation provides a significant stock of affordable accommodation for students in European university cities while also supporting their social integration in the urban environment. Although an increasing involvement of for-profit student home developers and providers has been diversifying the landscape of student housing across European university cities in the last decade, this change has been mainly associated with the internationalisation of students’ mobility and the financialisation processes driven by private investors. Subsequently, this article expands these supply and demand side perspectives by localising student housing as social infrastructure. Using Vienna as a case study, the authors mapped purpose-built student accommodation locations and conducted qualitative interviews to analyse recent changes in the provision of student housing and to discuss its implications for the social dimension of purpose-built student accommodation. Accordingly, the respective analysis identifies different logics of student housing providers concerning expansion plans and housing quality, which, in turn, affect the function of student housing as social infrastructure. As a result, this article emphasises the need to critically reflect on the overlooked role of student housing as social infrastructure and the role of public actors as well as their policies in the financialisation of purpose-built student accommodation.

Street-Level Workers and the Construction of Social Infrastructure in Suburban Neighbourhoods

The article examines the provision of social infrastructures in suburban neighbourhoods from the perspective of street-level workers. The concept of infrastructure is usually related to material and structural conditions but can equally apply to social infrastructures that are continuously constructed and maintained in social practices. These social infrastructures are embedded in structures and social arrangements and are related to past decisions. Our research focuses on the social infrastructures of two high-rise suburbs in Finland, built in the 1960s and 1970s. Since the 1990s, these neighbourhoods have experienced socioeconomic decline and transformation into a multicultural milieu. While suburbs have often been overlooked in urban politics and public discourses, a wide range of social infrastructures have also evolved in these districts and are continuously maintained. The main research data consists of interviews with street-level workers who participate in the production of such local social infrastructures. The article identifies and analyses the essential factors and preconditions as well as the challenges and contradictions of the provision of social infrastructure in these suburban contexts. This understanding is needed in order to foster an extensive social infrastructure and to deter counterforces from exacerbating socio-spatial inequalities and social polarisation in cities.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE METHODOLOGY FOR RESEARCHING THE ENVIRONMENT OF SOCIAL RESILIENCE OF THE POPULATION OF THE REGION

The purpose of the article is to develop a methodology for researching the environment of social resilience of the population of the region. The study reveals the relevance of the problem of forming a methodology for analyzing socio-economic systems using the example of the environment of social resilience of the population, which is understood as the quality of the social system of the region in the sense of its ability to prevent the realization of human risks and threats that lead to a decrease in its social security. The methodology was developed to assess the social resilience of the population of the Carpathian region of Ukraine. To assess the environment of social resilience, 31 determinants were selected, grouped into four groups: (1) employment, income, living conditions, (2) social security, (3) social tension, (4) provision of social infrastructure. The author’s research methodology involves the implementation of 5 stages: the formation of homogeneous dynamic data series; determination of dynamic weighting coefficients of indicators within each group; calculation of weighted coefficients of indicators; construction of weighted coefficients of subsystems (groups); construction of the integral coefficient of the medium. It is shown that the determining determinants of the social resilience of the regions are the system of indicators of socio-economic vulnerability of the population, the strengthening of which leads to the emergence of new and strengthening of current social risks and threats in different time periods. It is proved that social resilience, as opposed to social vulnerability, characterizes the measure of the ability of the population and its individual groups to independently satisfy their needs and realize their own social rights in the conditions that have develop. The scientific novelty of the research results lies in the further development of the methodology for analyzing complex socio-economic systems, in particular in the field of quality of life and strengthening the social resilience of the region’s population.

Elite Transformation Towards Good Governance in Nigeria

ABSTRACT Understanding the scope of elite transformation towards good governance in developing countries’ polities is no doubt fastidious amid attendant context fluidity, institutional instabilities, and literature paucity. Nigeria’s post-colonial polity has witnessed various structural changes, especially in political regime and economic resources. Since the 1999 transition to democracy, no regime breakdown occurred. Curiously, the Nigerian polity has been experiencing spasmodic ethnic clashes, the onslaught of the menacing Boko Haram terror group, the economy disruptive Niger Delta insurgencies, and acute youth discontent with protests often countered with violence by state security agents. Moreover, social infrastructure provision for economic growth and development remains extensively precarious or non-existent. Most vexingly, systematic knowledge about the transformability of the policy decisive and often-critiqued political elite is deficient or sparsely jumbled. Much has been extolled about governance per se, yet context-relative and data-oriented knowledge remain scanty. To what extent is the Nigerian political executive elite composition transforming towards good governance since 1999? The article focuses on the Nigerian political elite transformability through good governance lenses and practices. It draws from relevant elite theories and governance approaches that underscore the methodology. It contends that the political elite innovation remains stagnant, despite relevant structural changes. The findings reveal insignificant elite dynamics towards good governance.

Fiscal Autonomy and Educational Attainment of the Federating States in Nigeria

This study investigates the impact of fiscal autonomy on educational attainment of the states in Nigeria. The focus is on the 36 states in Nigeria. The capability of a state to internally generate revenue is a basic requirement in the provision of social infrastructure. In the context of this research, fiscal autonomy was measured as a ratio of internally generated revenue to federal allocation. To investigate the relationship involving fiscal autonomy and educational attainment in Nigeria, instrumental variable three stage least squares (3SLS) panel estimation framework was adopted by this study. The Hausman's test was used to determine the most robust estimates and the Hansen-sargan test was also used to determine if the instrument used was identified between the two-stage and three-stage least squares. The result from the rigorous estimation technique of 3SLS does not seem to give support to the hypothesis that increase in fiscal autonomy can significantly drive increase in literacy rate vis –a-vis educational attainment across the states and hence economic development in Nigeria. The study therefore strongly advocates that states should tow the middle path of not being completely fiscal autonomous in striving for fiscal autonomy as fiscal autonomy itself does not necessarily guarantee high educational attainment of states in Nigeria.

Modeling the citizens' settlement in residential buildings

The article proposes a method of estimating the number and structure of the population living in each dwelling house of the city. This information is used in solving a number of applied problems of urban analysis and urban planning, including the design of transportation systems, the provision of social infrastructure, and commercial services. However, more often than not, the information is incomplete and fragmentary. In this article, we propose an approach to modeling the settlement of the city's population by dwellings on the basis of indirect data of residential buildings.

Joint Participation of the State and Community Based Organizations (CBOS) In Poverty Alleviation: An Impact Study

The study was undertaken to examine the joint contributions of the state and Community Based Organisations (CBOs) in poverty alleviation and the impact thereof in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The study adopted survey research methodology. The hypothesis of the study was set up to test the relationship between joint participation of the state and community based organizations (CBOs) in social infrastructural development and poverty alleviation. Simple random sampling and multi stage cluster sampling techniques were used to select the sample size for the study. The instrument for data collection was a 20 item, well validated questionnaire. The data analysis revealed that joint participation strategy of the state and CBOs has significant and positive relationship with poverty alleviation through the provision of social infrastructure such as water and electricity supply, skill acquisition, educational and health facilities in local communities of Akwa Ibom State. The study also revealed that the provision of such social infrastructure in the local communities through joint participation of state and CBOs enhanced establishment and spread of small scale business enterprises which in turn increased job opportunities and income earnings of the members of the communities under study. Based on the finding, the study recommends that the state should develop policies that would involve and integrate the people and their CBOs in the development of rural communities in Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria at large particularly in social infrastructural development for purposes of poverty alleviation in the state and the country as well.

A Defense Industry Economy: The Concept of Dual-Use Technologies (Spin On & Spin Off) as an Effort to Accelerate the Independence of the Indonesian Defense Industry

The purpose of this study discusses the concept of dual-use technologies (spin on and spin off) in an effort to accelerate the economic independence of the Indonesian defense industry. This research is a qualitative research, the type of research uses a comprehensive analytical study and analytical normative approach. The development of defense technology in addition to aiming at production independence that can compete with other countries' products, must also provide a multiplier effect. The strategy is clear: optimize the added value of the defense industry. To that end, the first step that must be taken is to encourage import substitution for the defense industry and, after the industry develops, the final step is to commercialize or spin off the spillover effect or defense industry multiplier effect in the form of products that can be used for civil benefit. Defense provides a direct advantage of technology and its influence on other sectors, where the spin-off is used by the civil sector which can increase growth. In developing countries, defense spending can increase growth if some portion of expenditure is used for the provision of social infrastructure. Defense spending provides protection for citizens, where internal and external security will increase exchange in the market.

Russian State Agrarian Policy in the Context of Modern Globalization and Glocalization Processes: Implementation Features at the Regional Level

The purpose of this article is a political analysis of modern processes of globalization and glocalization and their impact on the development and implementation of state agrarian policy in the regions of the Russian Federation. The use of the structural-functional method made it possible to identify the structural problems of the implementation of the regional agrarian policy in the conditions of modern globalization and glocalization processes and to develop the main directions of its implementation, where one of the problems is the insufficient provision of social infrastructure in rural areas. The study used a general scientific methodology: analysis, synthesis, induction and deduction, the use of comparative methodology made it possible to carry out a comparative analysis of the agricultural potential of various regions of the Russian Federation and to differentiate the problems of the agro-industrial complex. The article studies the concept of glocalization, identifies the globalization problems of the development of Russian agriculture, and studies the regional features of the implementation of the state agrarian policy. The role and place of the state agrarian policy in the structure of the socio-economic policy of the Russian state is determined.

THE EXPECTED DEMOGRAPHIC INFLUENCES ON THE PROVISION OF EDUCATION SERVICES IN THE NEIGHBOURHOODS OF RIGA

This paper discusses the spatial extent of population change and provides new insights into the relationships between demographic characteristics and the provision of education services in urban neighbourhoods of Riga. Thus, our empirical evidence confirms that the provision of social infrastructure is fundamentally dependent on the nature of demographic processes. The aim of this paper is twofold: to explore the spatial extent of changes in the number of pre-school and school-aged children in Riga, and to assess how the demographic change of particular age cohorts are associated with the provision of educational establishments at the neighbourhood level. Using available statistics and based on calculations, this article reveals how the interplay between demographic and education related characteristics could be used in the analysis of particular age groups. The main findings show that educational institutions in capital city are distributed unevenly. Similarly, there is a great variety in demographic development between the urban neighbourhoods of Riga. Thus, unmatched demand for educational facilities or lacking specific types of institutions altogether create additional load in the neighbourhoods of inner-city, while increasing daily mobility of children and their parents.

Комплексный индекс социально-экономического развития городов России

This article presents a methodology for the formation of an integrated multicomponent index of socioeconomic development of Russian cities. By analogy with the best foreign practices, the index is built on four key groups of indicators or sub-indices of the main components of the urban development: level of economic development, level of human development, provision of social infrastructure, and the quality of the urban environment. Direct and calculated indicators of municipal, regional and departmental statistics were used. Unlike international and Russian indexes, which consider single cities or centers of certain population sizes, on the basis of the proposed index, an assessment of the level of socioeconomic development of more than 95% of the country’s cities and towns is made. In general, Russian cities and towns are characterized by moderate differentiation of the index of the level of socioeconomic development. Among the leaders, in addition to both capitals—Moscow and St. Petersburg, with a balanced contribution of all sub-indices, there are resource cities with increased values of the components “economic development” and “social infrastructure”, as well as science cities and satellite towns of the country’s largest agglomerations with a high level of urban development and an improved quality of human development. The worst positions are characteristic of small peripheral towns, in which a low level of economic development is superimposed on the unsatisfactory state of the urban environment, low indicators of the provision of social infrastructure and the quality of human development.

Tax collection in Northern Ghana during British Colonial Rule from 1898-1950 (Part Two)

One aspect of administrative history that was bequeathed by British colonialism in Northern Ghana from 1898 to 1950 was that of tax collection. This came in two phases: the first commenced from 1898 to1930. This study is concerned with the second period that lasted from 1930 to 1950. Within this period the purpose or objective of the study argues that a clear tax policy was formulated for Northern Ghana which marked the re-introduction of direct taxation that was systematically imposed under a system of Native Administration based on the principles of indirect rule. Much archival material was obtained in the Public Records and Archival Administration Department both in Accra and Tamale. Oral interviews were carried out that engaged elderly people who hail from the North. Information was equally gathered from chiefs and educated elites who come from the area. Some of the latter are teachers in universities in Ghana. Secondary source material such as books and journals enhanced the study. Thorough preparations were made by the British regime towards the re-introduction of direct taxation culminating in its return. The study outlines the nature and method of collection, the expenditure that was entailed, and the social effects that direct taxation bestowed on the traditional social life of the inhabitants. The article concludes that tax collection in Northern Ghana was thus one of the most successful policies that was carried out by the British and that actual developments resulting in the provision of social infrastructure began with the re-introduction of direct taxation under the Native Administration systemKeywords: Native Administration, Customary Tribute, Nominal Rolls, Native Authorities, Metal Discs

Counter–Urbanisation as the Growth of Small Towns: Is the Capital Region of India Prepared?

AbstractIndia’s increased pace of urbanisation is evident, but the question remains as to whether India can harness its developmental potential by providing social infrastructure to meet its projected growth. This paper investigates the urbanisation trajectory with respect to the provision of social infrastructure in the Capital Region of India. First, it applies the differential urbanisation model and predicts counter‐urbanisation to be the next stage of development. Second, using socio‐economic indicators, the paper finds high literacy rates and non‐agricultural employment in small towns. Third, it explains deconcentration of large cities as an outcome of congested social infrastructure provision. Fourth, it determines that small towns continue to have poor provision of social infrastructure. This paper recommends the integration of spatial planning with social infrastructure planning, the empowerment of lower‐tier authorities for social infrastructure delivery, and measures for raising local government revenue in the region and in similar regions throughout the Global South.