Development Of Small Towns Research Articles

Construction and Empirical Research of an Evaluation System for High-Quality Development of Small Towns in Guangxi Under the New Development Concept

The high-quality development of small towns in Guangxi is crucial for regional economic balance and sustainable development. This research conducts an in-depth exploration and systematic construction and validation analysis of the high-quality development of small towns in Guangxi. Guided by the new development concepts of innovation, coordination, green, openness, and sharing, a comprehensive evaluation system is established to assess the development levels of 70 small towns from 2005 to 2022. The research findings are as follows: 1. The analysis revealed significant growth in these dimensions over the study period, highlighting the unique characteristics of different types of small towns. 2. It was observed that small towns in southeastern Guangxi generally demonstrated higher development levels, while those in the northwestern regions exhibited considerable disparities, indicating regional imbalances. 3. The overall gap in the high-quality development level of small towns is gradually narrowing, but the difference is still relatively significant. 4. The findings underscore the advantages of the evaluation system developed, which effectively captures the multidimensional nature of high-quality development and serves as a robust framework for future research.

Characteristics of the Basic Socio-Economic Factors of the Development of Small Towns in Russia

Currently, small towns in Russia are going through a difficult period due to changes in the economic situation, demographic trends and financial constraints. These factors have a significant impact on the lives of citizens and require in-depth study and analysis. The purpose of the study is to identify the general features of small forms of settlement as part of the regional socio-economic system for the further development of proposals for the formation of specific measures for the socio-economic development of small towns. The research was conducted on a sample of data from 82 regions of Russia for 2018–2022 according to 11 statistical hypotheses. The work used modern methods of statistical analysis, including testing the normality of distribution (ShapiroWilk statistics), equality of variances (Livigne criterion) and the method of statistical testing of hypotheses based on the Mann-Whitney test. Calculations were performed in the Python software environment using the NumPy and Pandas libraries for data preprocessing and SciPy and XlsxWriter for statistical analysis and export results. The following socio-economic indicators are considered: average per capita cash income of the population, gross regional product and investment in fixed capital per capita, average turnover of organizations and the share of the population with cash income below the subsistence level. It is shown that, within the framework of the existing administrative structure of regional governance, regions with different levels of urbanization have statistically significant differences in these indicators. At the same time, no such differences were found in relation to indicators such as expenditures and revenues of consolidated budgets per person, the total area of residential premises per inhabitant on average, the fertility rate, the population maturity index and the dynamics of population change over 10 years (2012-2022 inclusive).

Policy of Small Town Development: Lessons of Overseas Experience for Russia

The article studies the world experience in pursuing state policy of space development in remote territories and small towns in Germany, Japan, Poland, Slovenia, Check Republic and Italy. The article describes experience of these countries in developing territories characterized by depopulation, reducing real sector of economy and jobs, declining standard of living, rising costs of social infrastructure. It also analyzes dynamic of priorities in policy of territorial development depending on predominant academic concepts: from policy of leveling-up, developing endogenous factors of territories (policy established in the spot) to policy beyond growth limits. Negative experience of developing Check municipalities was shown and results of certain stages of policy in countries that could not reach the set goals were highlighted. On the basis of the analysis some common approaches were found, as well as tools, which proved their effectiveness in testing this experience for small towns in Russia. By analyzing practices of six overseas countries the author came to the conclusion that small towns often experience after-effects of urbanization, such as population outflow, its aging and economic stagnation. The most important conditions of pursuing state policy on such territories are as follows: search for finance sources for their support, maintenance of infrastructure and improvement of quality of state service rendering and creation of sources of endogenous development. Today we can observe the development of such concepts as ‘The Slow Town’ (Italy), ‘Life beyond Growth’ (Japan) that aim at shaping living conditions for people focusing on benefits of remote territories. At the same time trends of developing small towns advance specific requirements to implementing state branch policies, in particular, in the field of education, public health service, to new formats of rendering basic services, including remote territories in conditions of their low budget support.

A networking-economic model to enhance the cultural value in small towns

Purpose The paper aims to provide a decision-support model to ensure a proper use of the limited resources, financial and not, for the enhancement of the cultural heritage and comprehensive development of small towns from sustainable perspective.Design/methodology/approach The assessment model is set up using a multi-criteria method that combines elements of linear planning with a performance indicators system that may represent the complexity of the territory’s cultural identity as a result of existing cultural-historical assets.Findings The model reliability is tested in a case study in a Municipality in southern Italy. The case study’s findings highlight the advantages for the public/private operators, who can consciously choose which preservation and restoration projects to fund while taking into account the effects those decisions will have on the economic, social and environmental context of reference.Research limitations/implications Due to the suggested operational approach and the selection of variables for accounting economic, social and environmental impacts by the renewal project, the research findings may not be generalizable. Therefore, it is recommended that researchers look into the suggested theories in more detail.Practical implications The study offers implications for designing a user-friendly tool to help decision-making processes from a private–public viewpoint in a reasonable allocation of financial resources among investments for cultural property asset enhancement.Originality/value The suggested operational approach provides a reliable information apparatus to depict the decision-making process under small-town development in accordance with sustainability dimensions.

Стратегические вызовы и возможности развития туризма малых городов России

The article analyzes the peculiarities and prospects of tourism development in small towns of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra (KhMAO – Yugra), in particular the city of Langepas. The purpose of the work was to study the peculiarities and prospects of development of the tourism industry of the city of Langepas, which in accordance with the Strategy of socio-economic development of Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug – Yugra until 2036 with target benchmarks up to 2050, as well as the Concept of development of tourist areas of Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug – Yugra is included in the tourist territory of Nizhnevartovsk – Nizhnevartovsk municipal district – Megion – Langepas. In this regard, the development of tourism in the city of Langepas is inextricably linked with the tourist characteristics of the Nizhnevartovsk municipal district. The key feature of the tourist territory of Nizhnevartovsk – Nizhnevartovsk Municipal District – Megion – Langepas is its industrial character, the main part of exploited oil fields is located here. The main objects of the social framework of the city of Langepas are: architectural ensembles, monuments of architecture, sculptural compositions, social and cultural facilities: museums, cultural centers, sports facilities. In the course of studying the official sites of the city, regulatory and legal framework in the field of tourism development, statistical information on the subject of the study, the key problems, features, “points of growth” and prospects for the development of the tourist complex of the city were identified. Based on the analysis, the author concludes that in the course of creating an effective system for promoting the city’s tourism product, it is necessary to focus on three components: brand strategy, management of tourism product promotion, and provision of financial resources for its implementation. According to the results of the proposed measures, the number of tourists accommodated in collective accommodation facilities of the city should reach 5.6 thousand people by the end of 2030.

Exposure to Wind as a Threat to the Sustainable Development of Small Towns in the Zhambyl Region (Kazakhstan)

Currently, global urbanization trends offer various development models, but their main goal is to create a comfortable and safe environment for city residents. Most cities in Kazakhstan are small in scale and face several pressing problems, such as limited infrastructure, inadequate public services, economic challenges resulting in unemployment, environmental problems, and housing shortages. In this article, using the examples of the towns of Zhanatas and Karatau, an attempt was made to indicate the threat posed by wind to the sustainable development of monocities in the Zhambyl region. The working hypothesis of our study is that state policy supporting the sustainable development of small towns is insufficient and should be changed. Theoretical, empirical, and cartographic methods were used during the research, depending on the specificity of the analyzed territories. The unique climatic features of the cities of Karatau and Zhanatas, which are located in the study area, were taken into account and unfavorable meteorological phenomena were analyzed. The collected data were used to assess the impact of climatic conditions on the sustainable development of small towns in the study area. The research’s results allow one not only to determine the impact of wind exposure on the sustainable development of small towns in the Zhambyl region, but also constitute a basis for assessing, more generally, the opportunities and threats relevant to small towns.

Spatial pattern, and evolution of China’s urban agglomerations

China's urban agglomeration is not only crucial to tackle with the more and more contradiction between population, resources and environment, but also an important spatial actor to increase the global competitiveness and promote the transformation of China's economic development mode. In the national "14th Five-Year Plan" in 2021, it is proposed to "promote the coordinated and development of large, medium-sized and small cities and towns based on urban agglomeration and metropolitan area". Generally, 19 urban agglomerations designated in this Plan are heterogeneous in development level and national functions. To this end, from the nature of urban agglomerations, especially on agglomeration economy and functional urban region hypothesis, the research focuses on the spatial pattern and changes of these 19 areas mainly based on the 6th and 7th national census. The findings show that, China’s UAs are unique in driving forces, and spatial patterns as well. China’s UAs are more state-led, though now the marketing forces more and more crucial. The UAs have been evolved from the early planned economy period to the reform and opening up period, and then to the further development of the Socialist market economy until now. Unlike other typical UAs abroad, most of the developed UAs are more specialized in manufacture, not in producer services, though these regions show a remarkable high-end services oriented shift in 2010–2020.

High-quality Development Model of Industrial Integration of Sports Characteristic Towns in Northeast China

Background and Aims: The integrated development of industries is an important part of promoting the supply-side reform of sports-characteristic towns in China and cultivating a new economy and new driving force for sports development. This study aimed to develop a model to operate sports tourism events in Northeast China. and to confirm the developed model by stakeholders on satisfaction, appropriateness, and practicability. Methodology: The researcher performed the following research steps. The first step was to survey the current situation of 1200 customers in 6 cities in Northeast China. After that, a total of 20 experts were interviewed. Subsequently, the researcher entered the step of gathering ideas and placing elements on different levels, involving a total of 22 experts. When confirmed by the experts, all three dimensions of elements were brought into prioritization using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) hierarchical model. Results: (1) The demand characteristics of the consumption market in small towns with sports characteristics in Northeast China are mainly young and middle-aged men with higher educational background, more knowledge worker, and higher per capita monthly household income; Most consumers have a strong sense of sports and leisure, and recognize the role of sports and leisure, but do not have a deep understanding of sports and leisure items, consumers are keen on mountain sports, water sports, air sports, and so on, most consumers stay a short time, the amount of consumption is low, to the weekend short-distance personal or family-based travel. (2) The evaluation system of influencing factors of industry integration development of the small town with sports characteristics mainly includes five first-level indexes, such as government support, technological innovation, market demand, etc., industry development guide funds, government support provisions and other 18 secondary indicators. (3) There are three most representative models in the industry integration development of small towns with sports characteristics in our country. Vertical extension mode, horizontal extension mode, mixed cross mode. Conclusion: The high-quality development model of industrial integration of sports-characteristic towns in Northeast China could be summarized as First-Level Indicators with a total of 5 aspects and Second-Level Indicators with a total of 18 aspects. All experts opined that the resulting model was reliable. When put into practice, relevant agencies could apply it.

Trap and dilemma of urbanisation: Comparative analysis and conclusions for accelerated urbanisation policies

As urbanisation increases, questions arise about the desirability of further urban growth, as it was not accompanied by corresponding economic growth, and social and environmental problems began to grow in the largest cities in the world. The objective of the article is to substantiate the limits of urbanization growth in Kazakhstan based on the study of theoretical views on this process, analysis of the dependence of social and economic parameters of 134 countries on the urbanisation level and calculation of the urbanisation level that contributes most to economic growth and social well-being. To achieve the goal, the following tasks have been set and solved: theoretical views on the process of urbanization have been generalized; a hypothesis has been put forward about the emergence of an “urbanization trap” in which the growth of large cities is not accompanied by economic growth and improvement of social well-being; an analysis of the dependence of socio-economic indicators on the level of urbanization has been carried out on the example of 134 countries of the world; the level of urbanization that maximizes economic growth and social well-being is calculated; the necessity of the development of small towns in Kazakhstan is substantiated. To solve the problems, the methods of logical analysis, analogies and generalizations, economic statistics, index, graphical, Pearson correlation analysis, Spearman and Kendall rank regression based on models in SPSS were used. As a result, the following conclusions are made: the hypothesis of a possible deterioration of socio-economic indicators in large cities is confirmed; the best positive result is demonstrated by the level of urbanization of 50%–59%. The recommendations are justified: in Kazakhstan, it is necessary to adhere to the level of urbanization no higher than 59%; the growth of urbanization should be ensured through the development of small towns; it is necessary to improve the methods of managing the process of urbanization and develop individual city plans.

Факторы изменения социально-экономического положения малых городов российско-белорусского приграничья

Small towns remain an important element of the settlement framework in the Russian Federation. Socio-economic status, settlement functions and motives of residents determine the prospects for the development or degradation of small towns. The article aims to classify existing and identify new factors in the socio-economic development of small border towns. The paper examined and analysed a set of Russian and foreign publications, as well as collected statistics from small towns in the Russian-Belarusian border area. A scientific hypothesis about the influence of border factors and interstate integration on socio-economic changes in small towns of the Russian-Belarusian border area was tested. As a result, new functions and socio-economic factors of small border towns were identified. The border position of a small town can be a development factor if the barrier of the interstate border remains. It was established that the population decline in small towns of the Russian-Belarusian border area is greater in comparison with its regional indicators and large cities. Investments in fixed capital per capita during the analysed period, with rare exceptions, do not exceed 50 % of the region’s value. However, the number of square metres of housing per capita in small towns is higher than the regional average. A proposed supranational strategy for the development of the Russian-Belarusian border area will help stimulate the economy of small towns and improve the quality of life of the population. When strategically planning the development of small towns in the Russian-Belarusian border area, it is necessary to determine their economic functions, define a specialisation to emphasise their identity and use competitive advantages in the struggle for resources with larger agglomerations.

Краевые архивные источники по истории молодого города на примере Дивногорска Красноярского края

The article presents a review of the corpus of documents of the State Archive of Krasnoyarsk Krai, related to the history of Divnogorsk. The town was founded by the authorities as a settlement serving the Krasnoyarsk hydroelectric power station in 1963. Divnogorsk is one of the many young industrialised small towns which appeared in the USSR during the next round of industrial modernisation. Its peculiarity is the close connection to the regional centre. Divnogorsk is a part of Krasnoyarsk agglomeration. Due to the high role of the town in the economic plans and projects of the Krasnoyarsk region development, its history is reflected not only in the town archive, but also in the documents of the regional archive collection to a great extent. A considerable part of them has not yet been put into scientific circulation. The corpus of documents related to Divnogorsk is quite complicated and chaotic. It is represented by neither one fund in particular but scattered over many others. All the materials about the town can be divided into two groups. Firstly, these are funds entirely dedicated to and related to Divnogorsk and businesses located there. These are mainly collections of party and Soviet organizations of Divnogorsk. Due to the fact that the town was a relatively small settlement, these materials reflect data on various aspects of life and development of small industrial town in Siberia. This group includes the fonds of the Divnogorsk town committee of the Communist Party of the RSFSR, primary party organizations of the CPSU institutions in Divnogorsk (the town's building and transport departments, the executive committee of the town council, the town committee, the low voltage plant, the housing and utilities office, the court and prosecutor's offices, and educational institutions); the fonds of the town's Komsomol organizations, and state and party control agencies. The second group comprises the fonds of the township-wide fonds, which contain information on the socio-economic development of the township. The second group includes the fonds of Krasnoyarskgesstroy Construction Directorate, Krasnoyarsk Region Planning Commission, and the local branch of the Federal State Statistics Service in Krasnoyarsk Region. The use of the krai archives collections allows a comprehensive study of the phenomenon of young cities of the USSR. The analysis of documents related to Divnogorsk in the State Archive of Krasnoyarsk region will make it possible to understand the regularity of deposition of documents on history of young towns of the Soviet period in archives, which will contribute to further search of materials to study such topics.

Assessment of opportunities for socio-economic sustainable development of small towns in Jambyl oblast

Achieving sustainable development of small towns as a special system is directly related, first of all, to maintaining socio-economic stability and creating a favourable environment for human life. Indeed, as a basis for the sustainability of small towns, the development of services, effective utilisation of local characteristics and diversification of socio-economic spheres are very important. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess the possibilities of socio-economic sustainable development of small towns in Zhambyl region. The study consisted of two stages: at the first stage a systematic analysis of statistical indicators of socio-economic development of Zhambyl region was conducted, the dynamics of sustainable development was assessed, at the second stage a survey was conducted and the information necessary for analysis was collected. The survey was conducted in the cities of Zhanatas, Karatau and Shu, which have the status of small towns in Zhambyl region. As a result of the survey, positive dynamics was noted for all indicators of socio-economic development of Zhambyl region. The volume of production in the region's manufacturing industry totalled 521.7 billion tenge, with a physical volume index of 111.1% compared to 2022. At the same time, the production of food products increased by 17.8%, chemical industry - by 5.5%, oil products - by 19.6%, finished metal products - by 31.9%, machine building - by 7.7%. However, according to the results of a survey conducted in the small towns of Zhanatas, Karatau and Shu, it became known that 31 per cent of respondents earn within 100-200 thousand tenge and 28 per cent within 60-100 thousand tenge. In addition, 66% of residents of small towns ask to increase the number of new jobs. Thus, the study revealed the need to modernise the socio-economic plan for sustainable development of small towns in Zhambyl region, the need to diversify the economy and improve the effective use of the environment.

Media culture as a factor of public opinion formation in small towns

Introduction. In the modern world, where the information environment is saturated with informational noise and mass means of communication, media culture acquires an important status in the formation of public opinion. This is especially true for small towns, as they may be remote from global media streams. Relevance and purpose. Media culture becomes a key tool for understanding and analyzing information included in public discourse and influences the formation of people’s consciousness and views. The purpose of the article is to study media culture as an important element of public opinion formation in small towns of Ukraine through the prism of identifying perspectives of influence and control. Methodology. Conceptual foundations for the study of modern media culture and its impact on the cultural and social structure of society were laid in foundational theories such as Marshall McLuhan’s «global village» and Alvin Toffler’s «future shock». Content analysis of scientific literature was also used as the main research method. Results. The influence of media culture on the formation of public opinion in small towns is extremely significant, especially due to the limited media space, which makes its influence even more significant. In such conditions, the media play a decisive role in the coverage of events at the local and national levels, as well as in the formation of the cultural and social identity of the community. The study emphasizes the importance of media self-regulation and the development of professional ethics to ensure objectivity and credibility of information. Financial support for independent media, local media and ensuring the confidentiality of sources are identified as critical factors for ensuring the quality of information services in small towns. Also, raising the level of media literacy is an important element, key to critical thinking and fact-checking. Therefore, initiatives and programs aimed at improving media literacy among residents of small towns are recognized as essential. Conclusions. Media culture is an important part of the socio-cultural development of small towns. Mass media play a key role in covering local or national events. For this reason, mechanisms of control over the manipulation of mass media are of particular importance. The work emphasizes the importance of media literacy among the population of small towns. Therefore, individual programs and initiatives can contribute to increasing the level of media literacy among residents of small towns.

Потенциал применения зарубежного подхода при создании транспортно-логистической инфраструктуры

Changing the approach to the integrated development of the territories of the regions of Russia requires the development of conceptual approaches to the organization of logistics of road construction. It is noted that currently in Russia, key projects for the development of the country and society are implemented by achieving the goals and objectives of national strategies (national projects 2019-2024), in three areas - human capital, a comfortable living environment, economic growth. As a result of the low efficiency of the management mechanisms for the implementation of the tasks of the national strategy “Safe and High-quality Highways”, new projects for the development of small towns require complex solutions of contractors for the construction of logistics infrastructure. The projects of organization of construction and improvement of road transport infrastructure of foreign countries are considered. The analysis of road construction management models in China and India was carried out in order to determine the potential of applying a foreign approach to the creation of transport and logistics infrastructure in Russia within the framework of national strategies for the integrated development of the country's territory. The main obstacles to the realization of the Russian potential for economic growth and their causes are identified. Conclusions are drawn that in order to create a comfortable and efficient transport and logistics infrastructure in the region, it is advisable to expand the target regional road construction markets and apply a project approach with the choice of a road construction logistics operator.

Small towns in Russia as a comfortable living space: myth vs reality (based on the Vologda region)

The comfort of the urban environment is one of the key factors influencing the quality of life for the population. A particular focus is placed on examining small towns (with a population of up to 50,000 people) from the perspective of their suitability for local community living. In order to comprehensively study the issue of a comfortable urban environment in the Russian provinces, the dynamics of the urban environment quality index in a number of cities in the Vologda Region were analysed, and survey materials from local residents (n = 1400) were also utilised. It is argued that sociological diagnostics complements and reveals statistical information on problem areas in urban development, allowing for the development of a unified approach to overcoming these issues, taking into account the opinions of the residents themselves. The study concluded that over the past five years, the development of small towns in the region has shown a positive trend, with an increase in the urban environment quality index being observed. However, based on the data for 2022, only 4 out of 13 small towns (Veliky Ustyug, Kharovsk, Totma, Sokol) can be considered as having a favourable urban environment. According to statistical data, the most problematic areas of the urban environment in small areas are social and recreational infrastructure and public business infrastructure. According to the opinions of residents, the quality of medical and educational services and housing availability are also significant issues. More positively, the environmental situation is evaluated in cities (as indicated by the index indicators and local residents’ judgments), as well as the level of safety and crime rates. Despite the presence of problematic areas in the development of small towns and their lag in terms of living comfort, the overall attitude of the local community toward theirplace of residence is positive, with a willingness to take responsibility for the city’s development. The results obtained serve as a basis for the policy of preserving and developing small areas, addressing social contradictions, and establishing promising directions for creating a comfortable living environment in these areas, taking into account the opinions and participation of the local community in these processes.

Prediction of transportation index for urban patterns in small and medium-sized Indian cities using hybrid RidgeGAN model

The rapid urbanization trend in most developing countries including India is creating a plethora of civic concerns such as loss of green space, degradation of environmental health, scarcity of clean water, rise in air pollution, and exacerbated traffic congestion resulting in significant delays in vehicular transportation. To address the intricate nature of transportation issues, many researchers and planners have analyzed the complexities of urban and regional road systems using transportation models by employing transportation indices such as road length, network density, accessibility, and connectivity metrics. This study addresses the complexities of predicting road network density for small and medium-sized Indian cities that come under the Integrated Development of Small and Medium Towns (IDSMT) project at a national level. A hybrid framework based on Kernel Ridge Regression (KRR) and the CityGAN model is introduced to predict network density using spatial indicators of human settlements. The major goal of this study is to generate hyper-realistic urban patterns of small and medium-sized Indian cities using an unsupervised CityGAN model and to study the causal relationship between human settlement indices (HSIs) and transportation index (network density) using supervised KRR for the real cities. The synthetic urban universes mimic Indian urban patterns and evaluating their landscape structures through the settlement indices can aid in comprehending urban landscape, thereby enhancing sustainable urban planning. We analyzed 503 real cities to find the actual relationship between the urban settlements and their road density. The nonlinear KRR model may help urban planners in deriving the network density for GAN-generated futuristic urban patterns through the settlement indicators. The proposed hybrid process, termed as RidgeGAN model, can gauge the sustainability of urban sprawl tied to infrastructure and transportation systems in sprawling cities. Analysis results clearly demonstrate the utility of RidgeGAN in predicting network density for different kinds of human settlements, particularly for small and medium Indian cities. By predicting future urban patterns, this study can help in the creation of more livable and sustainable areas, particularly by improving transportation infrastructure in developing cities.

The Problems and Measures for Small Tourism Town Development in China: A Case Study of Wan Town

With the rapid development of tourism and urbanization in China, small tourism towns gradually grow toward prosperity. This paper takes Wan Town as an example to analyze the problem and countermeasures concerning the development of small tourism towns in China. There are a series of issues in the process of development of Wan Town, which includes uncoordinated architectural style, inaccurate market positioning, repeated cultural themes, and vulnerable linkage of the industrial chain. Based on the factor analysis, these development issues were classified into three categories: confusing architectural style, repetitive cultural theme, and weak linkage of industrial chain. To achieve the goal of sustainable development of small tourism towns, some countermeasures must be taken which include promoting the development of small tourism towns with the new rural revitalization, strengthening services improvement in small tourism towns, gathering industrial elements related to the tourism industry, and increasing tourism cultural connotation.

Why small towns are shrinking: The spatial heterogeneity of small towns shrinkage and the impact of it from the perspective of rural-urban interaction in China.

Small towns play a crucial role in bridging urban and rural territory systems. While numerous studies have identified the characteristics and causes of small town shrinkage (STS), there remains an unexplored perspective on the reasons for their shrinkage from the perspective of the rural-urban relationship. To address this research gap, we investigated the relationship between STS and rural-urban interaction (RUI) in China. We hypothesized that a negative relationship existed between the degree of STS and the intensity of RUI. Using geo-statistical methods, such as the multi-scale geographical weighted regression (MGWR) model, the hypothesis was tested using Henan Province in China as a case study. The results indicated that the phenomenon of STS was observed extensively across the study region, with a 59% geographical overlap between the high-value area of STS and the low-value area of urban-rural interaction. Three distinct sub-types of STS regions were identified: shrinking regions along geographical borders, shrinking regions adjacent to metropolitan areas, and shrinking regions in ecologically fragile areas. The factors influencing STS demonstrated spatial heterogeneity and multi-scale characteristics. The findings will improve our understanding of urban shrinkage from a multi-level perspective and offer policy makers guidance for the sustainable development of small towns based on local conditions.

Impact of Industrial Development on Land and Spatial Form in Small Industrial Towns in India: A Case of Morbi, Gujarat, India

Studying the interrelationships between industrial development and urban form is key to understanding land development and spatial dynamics in any industrial region. Taking Morbi (Gujarat, India), as a case study, this research examines how the development of the ceramic industry has influenced urban morphology over the years. For this research, a mix of qualitative and quantitative approaches has been undertaken, followed by situation assessment through a series of interviews of the local stakeholders. The findings demonstrate that a haphazard and steady increase of industrial units has exerted strong impacts on the urban form of Morbi town. Based on population projections and forecast of land requirements for the horizon year 2031, the study has identified critical urban issues and suggested possible interventions using zoning and proper regulations. Morbi town serves as a case study to understand the linkages of industrial development and urban growth in small industrial towns in India. The study will be useful to supplement decisions regarding spatial planning and advocacy.

Contemporary concepts of small town development

Motivation: The paradigms of sustainable development and knowledge and innovation-based economy (smart growth) are among the most important signposts for the development of contemporary towns, cities and regions. The growing competitiveness of cities and the high variation and complexity of the urban environment necessitate the search for such a model of a city that will enable its dynamic development in the economic, social and spatial spheres. The implemented development model determines the town’s ability to face the current challenges, such as population changes, increasing and diverse needs of the city’s users, limited natural resources which therefore require protection, a shift in the paradigm of local economy towards circular economy, thereby improving the town’s ability to deal with crisis (urban resilience). As a consequence, there is a growing number of smart cities as well as cities which have adopted another dominant development concept, such as green cities, slow cities.Aim: Purpose of the article is to discuss and compare some of these concepts, namely smart city, slow city, green city (and selected hybrid models), which can be applied in designing a policy for the development of small towns in Poland.Results: The diverse and increasingly varied conditions underlying the development of small towns mean that a local development policy should have a more reactive and scenario-like character. The process of evolution of the existing approaches can be observed, resulting in the hybridization of the development models, where new concepts arise by combining the assumptions of several approaches, for example a smart green city, etc. This process can be seen as the manifestation of improving the level of urban resilience to crises, which increases the chance of small towns to adapt to new conditions.