The Impact of Stakeholders’ Management Measures on Citizens’ Participation Level in Implementing Smart Sustainable Cities

Smart sustainable cities (SSC) tend to utilise technology to promote themselves by involving their citizens in urban development. Several cities around the world have adopted the “smart city” label in recognition of these advantages. In fact, citizen engagement in public urban development and decision making has been acknowledged globally in many countries; yet, evaluations of the outcomes that allow the contribution of empowerment to be measured and compared with other influences are lacking. This study examines the correlation between stakeholder management measures (SMM) and citizen participation level (CPL) in the process of achieving an SSC. Four SMM factors were extracted from a literature review and sent out to be examined by experts in the field of built environments. Mean score (MS) ranking was used to confirm the importance of these variables in terms of predicting correlations with CPL. The results were generalised by multiple regression analysis techniques. This study shows a positive significant correlation between SMM and CPL in terms of Regulation, Collaboration, Legitimates, and Control. These four predictors make a significant contribution to escalating the levels of engagement and empowerment of citizen participation (CP). This paper contributes to knowledge in the field by identifying pillars that can increase CPL. Our findings could support the stakeholders of SSC projects to raise CPL, not only by hearing their voices but also by delegating power

The Impact of Citizens’ Participation Level on Smart Sustainable Cities Outcomes: Evidence from Saudi Arabia

It is imperative to expand the concept of smart cities beyond merely focusing on technology to include human, social, and environmental capital investing to develop smart sustainable cities (SSC). In recognition of smart cities’ advantages, several cities have adopted smart city labels. Although citizens’ engagement in public urban development and decision-making has been acknowledged globally in many countries, evaluating the outcomes that allow citizens to contribute does not measure and compare with other factors. This study examines the impact between the citizens’ participation level (CPL) and the smart sustainable cities outcome (SSCO). Four factors were extracted from the literature review and interviews were conducted with 12 decision and policymakers to establish the importance of these factors and to suggest any other additional factors. In addition, a questionnaire survey was utilised to assess and validate the result by experts in the field of the built environment. The mean score (MS) ranking was used to confirm the importance of these predicted correlations with SSCO. Endogeneity tests and multivariate regression analysis were adopted to validate the causality between CLP and SSCO. The results suggest that a positive significant correlation exists between the CPL and SSCO. A higher CPL leads to a higher level of SSCO, but this does not apply the other way around. The four significant factors of CPL to engage and empower citizens are accountability and responsibility, transparency, participation, and inclusion. This paper contributes to knowledge by identifying the measures of CPL and SSCO that can support the implementation of SSC by understanding what can be expected from the government and decision-makers and what can be expected from the citizens

Age composition and survival of public housing stock in Hong Kong

Emerging notably in more developed regions, building stock ageing which is characterised by shrinking new completions and falling “mortality” has been posing challenges to various stakeholders in built environment. To find way out of this transition, we need to know how long buildings will last these days and the factors leading to their “mortality”. By using data from 1950s till to date, a comprehensive investigation is conducted to analyse the age composition and life expectancy of public housing stock in Hong Kong. What comes after are survival analysis and empirical analysis of those demolished to identify the key factors leading to demolition. Presented in this paper are the preliminary findings as well as the research agenda on the theme to model age composition and survival of both private and public building stocks in Hong Kong and other similar cities in Asia Pacific Rim such as Adelaide and Singapore, together with research activities to formulate policies for sustainable urban management

The impact of management measures on performance of outsourced professional housing maintenance services

Purpose: This study seeks to investigate the actual impact of management practices on performance quality of the outsourced professional housing maintenance services in Hong Kong. Much of the literature is theoretically based and there is a knowledge gap in empirical confirmatory testing of the validity of the theories for effective management of the outsourced professional services. Design/Methodology/Approach: It was hypothesized that there was positive correlation between output performance quality and input management factors. Triangulation methodology was used to develop and test the correlation whereby literature review and qualitative interviews with the maintenance consultancy management practitioners of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HKHA) were used to generate the hypothesis which was then tested by quantitative regression, using data from the maintenance consultancies of the Authority. Findings: The hypothesis was transformed into sub‐hypotheses, which were primarily positive relationships, between service quality and individual input factors of competition level, past performance, project leadership and quality benchmarking. Results of the qualitative and quantitative studies confirmed and validated the hypotheses, and hence substantiated that there is a significant correlation between performance quality and the relevant management practices in the outsourcing process of professional housing maintenance services. Research Limitations/Implications: Whilst the correlation is validated in the context of professional housing maintenance services of the HKHA, it forms a conceptual baseline on which further research can build to test its significance for many other public and private sector settings, and for various professional property management services. Effective management measures can be identified to optimize performance quality. Practical Implications: This paper establishes the validity of the impact of management practices that property managers can apply to enhance the quality of outsourced professional housing maintenance services for the benefit of their customers and organizations. Originality/Value: This study should contribute to management of outsourced professional services in the context of housing. Property managers can enhance the performance quality of their professional consultants by applying effective management measures so that they can optimize service quality to satisfy the ever‐increasing tenant and owner expectations of value for money property services from outsourcing

A total change management model for successful growth of housing associations

Purpose: In the trend of mergers and growth of housing associations in the UK for providing more efficient and diversified services, the purpose of this paper is to develop an effective management model for planning and implementation of drastic, transformational changes to their organisational structures and operations, through two international organisational contexts in the social housing sector. Design/Methodology/Approach: Multiple‐case study methodology was used to examine the change policies and approaches in five major housing organisations experiencing rapid growth, including four housing associations in the UK and the Hong Kong Housing Authority, in order to verify the theoretical total change management framework, which are developed from organisational change management and project management theories. Findings: Organisational change management measures alone cannot fully explain all the successful cases. They should be applied along with project management approaches to plan and implement governance changes to ensure successful growth of housing associations. A total change management approach should be adopted, with changes focused on organisational competencies, a clear relationship of the main board and its regional members, a wider resident involvement and a variety of partnerships, as well as implementation measures focused on allocation of sufficient resources for project management steering, monitoring of organisational performance, and bottom‐up staff involvement. Research Limitations/Implications: The total change management framework is developed based on five major cases. It forms the baseline on which further research can build to develop effective change management measures in many other social housing organisation settings. Practical Implications: A total change management approach should be adopted to plan and steer changes to governance structures and operations in large housing associations. Originality/Value: This study contributes to change management for successful growth of housing organisations through development of a unique total change management model to facilitate mergers and growth

Economic perspective on outsourcing of property management services

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify the economic forces influencing the outsourcing process of property management services, and investigate how these forces should be applied in order to maximize the productive efficiency and performance quality, thus ensuring optimal use of resources. Design/Methodology/Approach: Market competition and transaction monitoring were identified to be the fundamental factors. Single‐case study method was used to quantitatively examine the impact of these economic forces on the outsourcing of property management services of the Hong Kong Housing Authority. Findings: The property services market was contestable, and through competitive tendering the level of competition had a significant negative impact on production cost and a significant positive relationship with service quality. Fee level was also found to have no significant effect on service quality. Professional maintenance services were found to be complex and associated with significant transaction costs, especially where there was a high degree of contact with tenants. Research Limitations/Implications: The outsourcing strategy forms a conceptual baseline on which further research can build to test its significance in many other settings, thus resulting in a more robust economic theory for outsourcing of property management services. Practical Implications: Competitive tendering should be adopted for outsourcing to minimize production cost and maximize service quality. The overall transaction costs should be minimized by focusing the limited resources on monitoring of the complex professional maintenance services, especially the services for major planned maintenance works where there are many occupiers involved. Originality/Value: The confirmatory tests indicate that the strategic objectives of cost and quality improvement from outsourcing, as expected by the stakeholders, can be achieved. Hence the research contributes to the property management practice by developing an economic strategy which optimizes the use of resources for the benefit of corporate organizations which own a property portfolio, whilst at the same time satisfying the power and needs of the tenants and other stakeholders