Spatial analysis of development potential in South Africa : a study of theory and methods for the spatial analysis of urban and regional systems in the South African context

Space in all its aspects is a central concern of planning research. The common sense view of space - determined by height, length and breadth - is giving way to a richer concept . Physical space seems to be merely one aspect of the multi-dimensional framework within which men and women carry out their daily activities. It is becoming possible to visualize social and economic spaces, where distances are measured in unfamiliar terms that have little to do with feet and inches. One begins to sense, very dimly, how one kind of space is warped and transformed as it moves through time - or interacts with another kind of space. My first contact with these ideas occurred during a regional study in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at U.C.T. The problems of analyzing these spaces and describing the structural relationships and interactions between them, prompted me to continue the work of that project in the form of a thesis

Policy Sciences, Social Work, and the Analysis of Social Policy

This dissertation addresses two issues. One is the means by which particular policy science concepts and technologies inform social workers functioning as analysts of social policy. The second is the caveat of social work regarding the analysis and development of social policy. Because, among social scientists, economists, systems analysts, political scientists, and policy scientists most frequently contribute to the development and analysis of social policy, their disciplines have been chosen for study. The concepts and perspectives unique to each have been described with regard to how they are applied to the development of social policy. The first element of the study design is the introduction of the concepts, techniques and perspectives of economics, systems analysis, political science, and the policy sciences as they are pertinent to the development of social policy. Policy analyses are presented illustratively in order to stress discipline-based differences in methodological and/or conceptual foci. Distinctive underlying decision-rules by which policy choices are made by different analysts are described. The study is also designed to explore means by which the knowledge and skill base of the policy sciences can be useful to a social worker in the role of policy analyst. Concepts, techniques and underlying decision rules are presented as they can be "borrowed" by social workers who analyze policy. Finally, an interpretation of the role of the social worker as policy analyst is presented. The strengths and limitations of each macroscience are recapitulated. The synthesizing of concepts and methods of inquiry that are relevant to the analysis and development of social policy is elucidated

Planners\u27 perceptions of their communicative roles in the implementation of local comprehensive plans: a Q-methodology study

This research, by utilizing the descriptive aspect of the communicative planning model, examined the opinions of surveyed public planners to understand their perceptions concerning their roles in the implementation of comprehensive plans. The research developed a Q-methodology design to uncover a typology of opinion concerned the perceived roles played by participants throughout the planning process in counties within the state of Georgia. The research contributes to the literature by developing this typology and by using it to assess the opinions of public planners. Through the use of Q-methodology, the research analyzed 34 usable Q-sorts from Georgia planners. Based on analysis of these sorts, four distinct types of opinion were found. The planning participants appear to be communicating opinions that represent the following: mostly positive roles on structural issues, such as budgeting, coordinating, and plan complexity; two roles that are positive of public participation; and two roles that are negative of public participation and focused on economic development. The research‘s typology shows that the planning participants view planning in two dimensions: political (opinion concerning the public) and functional (opinion concerning what leads to successful planning)

Working Notes from the 1992 AAAI Workshop on Automating Software Design. Theme: Domain Specific Software Design

The goal of this workshop is to identify different architectural approaches to building domain-specific software design systems and to explore issues unique to domain-specific (vs. general-purpose) software design. Some general issues that cut across the particular software design domain include: (1) knowledge representation, acquisition, and maintenance; (2) specialized software design techniques; and (3) user interaction and user interface

On the Pricing of Forward Starting Options under Stochastic Volatility

We consider the problem of pricing European forward starting options in the presence of stochastic ­volatility. By performing a change of measure using the asset price at the time of strike determination as a numeraire, we derive a closed-form solution based on Heston’s model of stochastic volatility

Social problems and collaborative planning: toward a theory and model of social planning

The concern of this dissertation is planning theory and practice; its purpose is to make planning more responsive to the problems of the city. The premise that the study is built on is that social planning must be in harmony with the nature of its subject matter, and that social problems is its subject matter. The supposition is that if we grasp the nature of social problems and build planning theory and practice on these insights, planning efforts will be more relevant and more effective. The approach is a theoretical one; social problems are the starting point. After urban problems--and poverty in particular--are examined from an historical perspective, a social systems framework is presented to clarify how problems are generated and maintained as well as to explain how responses to problems are shaped. The inquiry into the nature of social problems then draws upon sociological theory. This theoretical literature is found to focus on either the objective elements of social problems or on the subjective, that is, the process by which persons come to judge whether a condition is a social problem. Structural aspects of problems are not an important concern of the theorists. However, in this study a problem is considered as social only when its causes lie outside of individuals--when the sources or origins can be found in existing structural or institutional arrangements. Problems are conceptualized as having two dimensions: objective and subjective ones. Social problems--specifically, their objective and subjective dimensions--are related to social planning. It is contended that planning must deal with the objective elements of social problems, including structural aspects, as well as with the subjective dimensions. Or, in other words, social planning must (1) treat the structural causes of problems and also (2) address itself to the values, beliefs, definitions, etc. that obstruct social change. In addition to this theoretical linkage of social problems and social planning, the dissertation situates planning in the context of a general theory of social reality. Drawing upon the work of Berger and Luckmann (1966), planning is conceptualized as a process in which reality is socially constructed. These theoretical concepts--the objective and subjective dimensions of socia1 problems as the object of social planning and social planning as the social construction of reality-provide the basis for the model which is developed. Three components of the model are treated. First, characteristics of the process are discussed, and it is contended that the social planning process must be “task-oriented,” experimental,” “cybernetic,” dialogic, and collaborative. Second, roles and phases in the process are discussed and illustrated. : Consistent with the theoretical framework in which knowledge is considered as socially distributed, citizen, planner, and decision maker have roles in each of the planning phases. Since no one has a complete view of social reality, each is seen as having a distinct contribution to make in the task of defining the problem and its solution. Thus, resolving social problems requires that citizen, planner, and decision maker collaborate and learn from one another. The planner\u27s role is elaborated as the third aspect of the model. By planner is meant an interdisciplinary team whose role encompasses two main functions: (1) technical tasks that have traditionally belonged to the planner, and (2) interactional tasks. Although other planning theorists have outlined interactional tasks for the planner, his role in the collaborative model is “to promote mutual learning through dialog.” This role, similar to that of a process consultant, is considered unique to the collaborative planning model. Although components of the model resemble those of other models, taken together, the characteristics of the planning process, planning phases, and planning roles differ from any other model. And importantly, the planning model grows out of a theoretical analysis of social problems as well as a broad theoretical framework. The model is normative in nature, and although it is not tested empirically, it is evaluated at a theoretical level. The collaborative model and seven other planning models are assessed in terms of whether they are responsive to the nature of social problems. It is contended that the collaborative model is the only one that is responsive to the nature of social problems. This dissertation--its theoretical concepts and conceptual model-is seen as a contribution to an emerging planning paradigm--one that holds the promise that we can learn to deal effectively with the problems that confront our cities

Analytic Extensions to the Data Model for Management Analytics and Decision Support in the Big Data Environment

From 2006 to 2016, an estimated average of 50% of big data analytics and decision support projects failed to deliver acceptable and actionable outputs to business users. The resulting management inefficiency came with high cost, and wasted investments estimated at $2.7 trillion in 2016 for companies in the United States. The purpose of this quantitative descriptive study was to examine the data model of a typical data analytics project in a big data environment for opportunities to improve the information created for management problem-solving. The research questions focused on finding artifacts within enterprise data to model key business scenarios for management action. The foundations of the study were information and decision sciences theories, especially information entropy and high-dimensional utility theories. The design-based research in a nonexperimental format was used to examine the data model for the functional forms that mapped the available data to the conceptual formulation of the management problem by combining ontology learning, data engineering, and analytic formulation methodologies. Semantic, symbolic, and dimensional extensions emerged as key functional forms of analytic extension of the data model. The data-modeling approach was applied to 15-terabyte secondary data set from a multinational medical product distribution company with profit growth problem. The extended data model simplified the composition of acceptable analytic insights, the derivation of business solutions, and the design of programs to address the ill-defined management problem. The implication for positive social change was the potential for overall improvement in management efficiency and increasing participation in advocacy and sponsorship of social initiatives

Institutional use of information technologies in city planning agencies: implications from Turkish metropolitan municipalities

Thesis (Doctoral)--Izmir Institute of Technology, City and Regional Planning, Izmir, 2004Includes bibliographical references (leaves: 175)Text in English; Abstract: Turkish and Englishxiii, 185 leavesThis study argues the pivotal relationship between the computing technology and its organizational context. It focuses on nature of implementation in organizational settings that are becoming increasingly important. A further motivation point for this study is to reveal the different discourses (managerial/political/emotional etc.) in the cycle of implementation. The assumption behind this interest is that IT and other technologies are not value-neutral and these tools have the possibility of shaping the goals and agenda of the planning profession.As a part of methodology of the thesis, a comprehensive literature survey was completed around the theoretical issues that constitutes the framework of IT/IS adoption in organizations with a particular reference to urban planning and management. The statements and research questions were tested in the planning departments of selected metropolitan municipalities (Ankara, Izmir, and Bursa) that are experiencing information technologies and systems in various implementation stages. The research strategy was based on a variety of qualitative approaches, including two different types of closed questionnaire-based surveys and semi-structured/unstructured interviews. To measure the success/failure degree of the planning technologies used in the case study organizations in the 'user' dimension of the study, DeLone and McLean.s (1992) IS Success Model and Heeks'(1999) ITPOSMO model were used.Case study research revealed the current stands of ICT implementation in urban planning departments of local governments. It was also evaluated planning practitioner.s commitment and dependence towards computerized planning tools in working practice. In a more exploratory context, a progressive research agenda for ICT implementation in public planning agencies was developed based on the implications of empirical research and literature-based analysis

Carolina Planning Vol. 3.2: Community Development

Historic Preservation and Urban Housing Policy; A Housing Reinvestment Strategy for Durham, North Carolina; Monitoring Change in Residential Neighborhoods; Towards An Updated Approach to Neighborhood Planning; Computers and Planning in Small Cities; The Distinction Between Economic Development and Economic Growth: Implications for North Carolina Development Polic