What makes urban governance co-productive? Contradictions in the current debate on co-production

Following a number of prominent concepts in urban planning, like participatory planning or self-help housing, co-production has started to gain momentum in the global South context. While it is has been long discussed as a means of service provision, the term is more and more often used in the broader sense of urban governance and policy planning. This understanding goes beyond the aspect of scaling-up successful co-productive infrastructure focused projects; rather, it indicates a different format of engagement for prompting urban stakeholders into planning citywide urban solutions. This article discusses the distinction between the different levels of co-production and their inter-linkages, and it investigates the relevance of positioning co-production as a factor framing urban governance. This includes a discussion on three main contradictions that can be identified within the current discussion on co-production. Finally, it identifies a set of arguments for elaborating the role of co-production in a policy and urban governance setting

Adapting to informality: multistory housing driven by a co-productive process and the People’s Plans in Metro Manila, Philippines

Faced with an ever-increasing demand for land in Metro Manila, as well as with the domination of standardised low-income housing models, the local civil society and the urban-poor sector embarked on the development of an alternative shelter approach in-city multistorey housing delivered through the People’s Plan. The article documents the emergence of the approach, interrogates its main assumptions and takes a closer look at the implementation process through two case studies, in Pasig and San Jose Del Monte. The article analyses the modality as an attempt to create a hybrid approach between formal and informal delivery systems within the built form conventionally associated with the imaginaries of the ‘formal’ city. The findings underscore the role of co-production in enabling the urban-poor sector to leverage their approach, while documenting the need to move beyond a formal–informal dichotomy in both theory and urban development practice

Examining patterns of policy change in a post-socialist city: the evolution of inner-city regeneration approaches in Łódź, Poland, after 1989

The article analyses the process of transformation of inner-city regeneration strategies in the Central Eastern European city of Łódź in Poland. During the period of structural adjustment that commenced with the fall of socialist regime in 1989, the city experienced multiple problems linked to the closure of the textile industry, depopulation and a number of social issues. In their search for a new strategic development model, the local authorities experimented with multiple inner-city regeneration approaches. By reviewing key strategic documents in the city, this paper analyses the gradual change in the objectives and pressure points in inner-city regeneration. The analysis is complemented by the presentation of three case studies illustrating how the approaches identified within these strategies (culture-led development, mega-project, socially focused revitalisation) were implemented

Evaluation of a Cape Town Safety Intervention as a Model for Good Practice: A Partnership between Researchers, Community and Implementing Agency

VPUU has a wealth of experience to share and is engaged with broader national and international policymakers and implementing agencies. Researchers are grappling with the difficulty of providing a rigorous project evaluation for these collaborations which could identify project elements that work with a view to their replication. This paper traces the evolution of an evidence-based approach to violence prevention in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The Violence Prevention through Urban Upgrading (VPUU) project in Cape Town uses such an approach, and relies on a 'whole-of-society' methodology as well. The project and the difficulty of its evaluation are discussed. A partnership between VPUU, researchers, the community and local government has revealed both opportunities and obstacles, which are the subjects of a case study described here

New Resources Connection Analysis to Power System

Tato práce se zabývá záměrem dostavby nového jaderného zdroje v lokalitě elektrárny Dukovany a způsobem jeho připojení do přenosové soustavy. Hlavním cílem práce je navrhnout konkrétní řešení vyvedení výkonu nového zdroje do určitého bodu přenosové soustavy a tento návrh zvoleným výpočtem doplnit. Práce je rozdělena podle zadání do tří hlavních částí. První část popisuje současné technické řešení hlavního elektrického schématu (vyvedení výkonu) našich dvou jaderných elektráren a také obecně u vybraných typů zahraničních jaderných elektráren. Je zde nastíněn i způsob provedení vlastní spotřeby elektráren. Úkolem druhé části je uvést přehled uvažovaných výkonových a dispozičních variant nového zdroje, ale především zhodnotit, jaké jsou možnosti jeho připojení do soustavy. V třetí části je s pomocí informací z části předchozí proveden konkrétní návrh technického řešení vyvedení výkonu do soustavy a výpočet parametrů blokového vedení včetně zvolené varianty ustáleného chodu. Na tuto část, resp. na práci jako celek, bezprostředně navazuje jiná diplomová práce s názvem „Studie rozšíření rozvodny Slavětice o nové zdroje EDU“. V této práci jsou z velké části použity materiály a informace od společnosti ČEZ, a s., z nichž některé mají důvěrný charakter. Dále je zde využito poznatků z analýzy od společnosti EGÚ Brno, a. s. Tato práce nenahrazuje komplexní analýzu všech aspektů nového jaderného zdroje v lokalitě Dukovany.This dissertation deals with the idea of annexing a new nuclear resource in the locality of the Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant and the way of its connection to the power system. The main aim of this dissertation is to design concrete solution of the connection of the new resource to a certain point of the power system and complete this design by means of chosen calculation. According to the task, this dissertation consists of three parts. The first part describes the current engineering solution of the main one line diagram of our two existing nuclear power plants and generally of chosen types of power plants abroad, too. There is also a design of the internal consumption of the nuclear power plants. The objective of the second part of this dissertation is to present the survey of the power and dispositional variants of the new resource in view and mainly assess general possibilities of its connection. Using all information from the preceding part, the third part presents the concrete design of the engineering solution of the connection of the new resource to the power system and also the calculation of parameters of block transmission line. Another dissertation named “Study of Slavětice Distribution Substation Enlargement for EDU New Resources“ concurs this part or more precisely, my dissertation as a whole . For my dissertation I have used some materials and information from the ČEZ Corporation which are confidential. I have also used some knowledge from the analysis from the EGÚ Brno Corporation. This dissertation neither represents nor substitutes a complex analysis of all aspects of a new nuclear resource in the Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant.

Co-Production as a Driver of Urban Governance Transformation? The Case of the Oplan LIKAS Programme in Metro Manila, Philippines

Social movement-initiated co-production has been increasingly described as an approach that enables urban poor communities in the South to gain wider access to urban governance. However, with a predominant focus on project-level interventions, the case studies in which movements truly affect governance matters in a metro scale are rare. One of the examples involving such an achievement is the activism of civil society organisations and urban poor groups in Metro Manila, Philippines, which have succeeded to have a major impact on the housing and resettlement programme; the Oplan LIKAS. This article analyses how the civil society was able to gain such a position and the way it utilised it. The documentation of the challenges experienced by the civil society reflects the nature of co-productive engagement in the South and shows that it may easily reach its limits in an exclusionary governance setting

Koproduktion - zwischen Strategie der Dienstleistungserbringung und Ansatz zum Wandel der städtischen Governance

This dissertation explores the role of co-production in transforming existing urban governance frameworks. Specifically, it interrogates how the co-production of housing between civil society or urban poor groups and the public sector influences urban governance processes. While referring to the existing interpretations of co-production, this thesis focuses on the hitherto largely unexplored issue of extending the co-production approach from a project or neighbourhood scale to broader governance structures. In so doing, this dissertation builds on the classic understanding of co-production as primarily a service delivery strategy, through linking it to the debate on social-movements-initiated or bottom-up co-production. Herein, the intricacies of the co-production process are analysed in the context of low-income housing provision within an exclusionary governance setting (as is commonly found in rapidly urbanising areas). Through a review of the extant literature, this thesis discusses the differences in understandings of co-production in various intellectual traditions and develops a framework for the analysis of governance transformation processes in the aforementioned contexts. The central empirical part of the thesis is based on field research in Metro Manila, and concerns activism among the urban poor and civil society that led to the establishment of the Oplan LIKAS programme for the relocation of and development of housing for circa. 120,000 Informal Settler Families. Based on the findings from this fieldwork, the overarching argument of the thesis is that while co-production is typically explored and analysed in settings at the project level, its distinct features undergo important transformations when attempting to scale-up projects. This process, termed here the ‘co-production of governance’, gains new features and experiences new challenges in comparison to project-level interventions. Namely, the process of scaling-up urban poor solutions requires the application of more diverse approaches than in classic co-productive projects. Its typical features such as networking, and showing by doing, are essential for the internal organisations of movements and groups attempting to reach the higher governance level; however, to leverage the impact of people and effect change on governance processes, a number of additional external strategies are also required. These include, among others, a readiness to engage in more politicised arenas, where ad hoc coalitions and conflict-based action become essential. In this way, the thesis supports the view that co-production, rather than being seen as a pure ideal model approach, needs to coincide with a range of different strategies to be effective in higher governance settings. Finally, this thesis reflects on the complexities of the governance creation phase in which people’s movements attempt to successfully position themselves as co-creators of policies or programmes at the metropolitan scale. Through this, some key assumptions frequently found in a variety of international studies are questioned. Firstly, the institutionalisation of pro-poor solutions, as much as they are empowering, may also have exclusionary effects. These occur when ‘formal’ sectors use informal mechanisms to shape institutionalised frameworks in such a way that their fixed regulatory logic counters the principles of flexibility inherent in people’s approaches. Secondly, a significant challenge relates to power imbalances within the urban poor sector, where the capacity to engage in complex co-productive activities is not shared uniformly by all urban poor actors, particularly in situations where ready-made housing products are on offer. In conclusion, this thesis supports the view that co-production is one of the most effective approaches available to the urban poor for building relations with governance structures at the local level. However, this approach inevitably experiences new challenges when applied at higher levels of governance, and therefore needs to be supported by a variety of different strategies and undergo thorough restructuring to ensure long-lasting, pro-poor inclusionary outcomes. The theoretical concept of co-production of governance understands this process as an open-ended engagement that, rather than being a form of institutionalised deliberation, enables the urban poor to continuously influence, review and update policies within or outside of formally recognised bodies. At the same time, the approach should ensure that newly established approaches continue to mirror urban poor groups’ own protocols and safeguard principles of flexibility and collective action.Diese Dissertation untersucht die Rolle von Koproduktion als einen von den städtischen Armen und der Zivilgesellschaft gesteuerten Ansatz mit dem Ziel, zu einer Wandlung des existierenden städtischen Governance-Rahmens zu führen. Sie stellt die Frage, inwiefern der Prozess der Koproduktion von Wohnraum zwischen der Zivilgesellschaft oder städtischen Armen und dem öffentlichen Sektor städtische Governance beeinflusst. Hierbei verweist die Dissertation auf die existierenden Interpretationen von Koproduktion und befasst sich mit der weitgehend unberücksichtigten Frage des Übergangs des koproduktiven Ansatzes von einer lokalen oder projektbezogenen Ebene zu umfassenderen Governance-Strukturen. Dabei baut die Dissertation auf dem klassischen Verständnis von Koproduktion, hauptsächlich als Modell der Dienstleistungserbringung, auf und ist eng verknüpft mit der Debatte über die von sozialen Bewegungen erzeugten oder bottom-up Koproduktion. Die Feinheiten und Komplexitäten dieses Prozesses werden im Kontext von Wohnungsraum für einkommensschwache Haushalte innerhalb exklusiver und elitärer Governance-Strukturen, ein charakterisierendes Phänomen in schnell urbanisierten Gebieten, analysiert. Indem sie die Unterschiede in der Analyse von Koproduktion in diversen intellektuellen Traditionen anerkennt, erarbeitet die Dissertation einen Rahmen zur Analyse des Prozesses zur Wandlung der Governance-Strukturen in dem vorgenannten Umfeld. Der empirische Teil der Dissertation basiert überwiegend auf einer in der Metro Manila durchgeführten Feldforschung und betrifft den Aktivismus der städtischen Armen und der Zivilgesellschaft, was zur Schaffung des Oplan LIKAS Programms führte, mit dem Ziel der Umsiedlung von ca. 120,000 Familien von “informellen Siedlern” und der Schaffung von für sie bestimmten Wohnraum. Das übergreifende Argument der Dissertation ist, dass Koproduktion typischerweise und hauptsächlich auf der reinen Projektebene erkundet und erforscht wird, jedoch dass ihre gut definierten Eigenschaften einen wichtigen Transformationsprozess durchlaufen, bei dem Versuch, den Ansatz hochzuskalieren. Der Prozess, der hier als Koproduktion von Governance definiert wird, gewinnt neue Eigenschaften und begegnet neuen Herausforderungen, die es auf Projektebene nicht gab. Die Hochskalierung von Koproduktion erfordert die Anwendung von stärker diversifizierten Ansätzen im Vergleich zu sogenannten “klassischen” koproduktiven Projekten. Typische Eigenschaften von Koproduktion, wie unter anderem Networking und Showing by Doing, spielen weiterhin eine wesentliche Rolle für die interne Organisierung der Bewegungen und Gruppen, die versuchen, eine höhere Governance-Ebene zu erreichen. Dennoch sind etliche externe Strategien erforderlich zur Entfaltung der Wirkung der Menschen auf Governance-Angelegenheiten. Es handelt sich hierbei, unter anderem, um die Bereitschaft, sich in stärker politisierenden Bereichen zu engagieren, in denen ad-hoc-Koalitionen und konflikt-basierte Aktionen unverzichtbar werden. Somit unterstützt die Dissertation die Auffassung, dass Koproduktion sich weniger als ein rein ideales Modell versteht, sondern eher mit einer Vielzahl an unterschiedlichen Strategien übereinstimmen soll, um im Rahmen der Higher Governance wirksam zu sein. Schließlich beschäftigt sich die Dissertation mit den Komplexitäten der Kreationsphase der Governance, wenn es den städtischen Armen gelingt, sich auf der Ebene der Metropole als Kokreatoren der Stadtpolitik zu positionieren. Dieser Bestandteil der Forschungsfragen hinterfragt mehrere Annahmen, die in internationalen Studien mitschwingen. Erstens kann die Institutionalisierung der Lösungen zugunsten der Armen sowohl Befähigung als auch Ausgrenzung bewirken. Diese Ausgrenzung findet statt wenn “formale” Sektoren informelle Mechanismen nutzen, um institutionalisierte Rahmenregelungen zu gestalten. Diese gesetzte Regulationslogik widerspricht den Prinzipien der Flexibilität, die die von den städtischen Armen angewendete Herangehensweise charakterisieren. Zweitens liegt eine große Herausforderung in der Komplexität des Sektors der städtischen Armen: nicht alle sind gleichermaßen dazu befähigt, sich an komplexen koproduktiven Aktivitäten zu beteiligen, ganz besonders wenn die Möglichkeit eines gebrauchsfertigen Wohnraumes besteht. Insgesamt unterstützt die Dissertation die Ansicht, dass Koproduktion einer der effektivsten Ansätze für die städtischen Armen ist, um mit Governance-Strukturen Beziehungen auf einer lokalen Ebene aufzubauen. Dennoch kommt die Dissertation zu dem Schluss, dass auf der höheren Ebene der Governance Koproduktion vor neuen Herausforderungen steht. Nur dank unterschiedlicher Strategien und einer umfassenden Restrukturierung können nachhaltige und inklusive Ergebnisse zugunsten der städtischen Armen auch gewährleistet werden. Das theoretische Konzept von Koproduktion der Governance versteht diesen Prozess mehr als ein Engagement mit offenem Ende als eine festgesetzte institutionalisierte Deliberation. Dieses Engagement gibt den städtischen Armen die Möglichkeit, politische Richtlinien kontinuierlich zu beinflussen, zu überprüfen und zu aktualisieren, innerhalb oder außerhalb von formellen anerkannten Strukturen und Institutionen. Idealerweise sollte somit die Wirkung der städtischen Armen ihre eigenen Protokolle widerspiegeln und ihre Leitlinien von Flexibilität und gemeinsamem Handeln sicherstellen

Beyond the decay? Positive patterns in the development of a large housing estate: the case of Olechów-Janów district in Łódź, Poland

A lot of attention in the academic and policy debate has been given to the process of transformation of large housing estates in Central and Eastern Europe post 1989. This included debate about their decreasing socio-economic status and the gradual deterioration of housing structures. Nevertheless, the transformation processes in various estates have not necessarily followed the same pattern and some districts, instead of decaying, have continued to grow during the capitalist period. This article discusses the case of one such estate in the city of Łódź in Poland, documents the ‘alternative’ format of transformation and discusses its implications for policymaking

Transcending path dependencies: Why the study of post-socialist cities needs to capitalise on the discussion on urbanisation in the South (and vice versa)

Recently, the theoretical relevance and utility of the regionalised notion of post-socialist cities have been questioned. The ensuing debate has resulted in several positions, including suggestions to drop the term entirely or to create a distinctive narrative based on the concept of a Global East, in order to position the knowledge as equal vis-a-vis discourses originating from Western power centres. This article responds to this call through efforts to transcend the dominant frames of research on post-socialist cities. However, I argue that the first step in overcoming the subaltern positioning of local knowledge is to refocus attention on previously marginalised urban phenomena, and to link the post-socialist research agenda to existing empowering discourses. The importance of creating linkages with the research originating from the South, and the potential for such joint engagements to contribute to global theory-making are discussed in the context of the study of urban informality

East Africa's policy and stakeholder integration of informal operators in electric mobility transitions : Kigali, Nairobi, Kisumu and Dar es Salaam

Electric mobility is beginning to enter East African cities. This paper aims to investigate what policy-level solutions and stakeholder constellations are established in the context of electric mobility (e-mobility) in Dar es Salaam, Kigali, Kisumu and Nairobi and in which ways they attempt to tackle the implementation of electric mobility solutions. The study employs two key methods including content analysis of policy and programmatic documents and interviews based on a purposive sampling approach with stakeholders involved in mobility transitions. The study findings point out that in spite of the growing number of policies (specifically in Rwanda and Kenya) and on-the-ground developments, a set of financial and technical barriers persists. These include high upfront investment costs in vehicles and infrastructure, as well as perceived lack of competitiveness with fossil fuel vehicles that constrain the uptake of e-mobility initiatives. The study further indicates that transport operators and their representative associations are less recognized as major players in the transition, far behind new e-mobility players (start-ups) and public authorities. This study concludes by identifying current gaps that need to be tackled by policymakers and stakeholders in order to implement inclusive electric mobility in East African cities, considering modalities that include transport providers and address their financial constraints