Exploring the potential of complexity theory in urban regeneration processes.

The research project was conceived out of a desire to explore the potential application of complexity theory in understanding urban regeneration processes. The science is still in its infancy, having been born out of a general milieu of, and paralleled, the dissatisfaction with the classical science approach to the problems of the world. At the heart of the complexity project is, therefore, the defiance of the reductionist paradigm in favour of holism and emphasis on emergent properties in the understanding of complex systems. As a new way of thinking and one that boasts of its ability to cut across disciplinary boundaries, the emerging science has found its maiden expression in many spheres of the social and physical inquiry - offering, in each case, potential solutions to the vexing problems and questions that have survived the test of time. In urban studies, such questions reside within the general thesis of the persistence of the urban problem in the midst of a myriad of theoretical tools and policies designed to secure a better understanding and tackle the problem. The translation of this promising theoretical platform into the study and the pursuit of the research agenda were conducted through the case study of the Hulme inner city area in Manchester. The task basically involved three phases of analysis. The first was a historical narrative that attempted to weigh the evolution of the Hulme regeneration processes between 1960 and 1990 against the characteristic features of complex systems, with the aim of establishing a case for conceptualisation of urban regeneration as a subject of complexity. Using selected analytical tools of social network analysis, the second phase sought to quantify the regeneration networks of Hulme so as to weigh them against the deprivation indices for the area between 1990 and 2000, with the aim of testing for any correlations and their implications in the complexity project. Though equally facilitated by social network analysis, the third level was more concerned about investigating the enabling environment for the evolution of urban regeneration networks than mere quantification of the network parameters. Put together, the three levels of analysis provided a framework that serves as a fundamental analytical framework for urban regeneration processes. It offers a much more robust, emergent based, holistic approach to urban regeneration than that which iscontained in many of the contemporary claims of holism. The study's emphasis on intervention without violation of natural (social) order does not only provide a (potentially) essential tool for analysis but also sheds light on questions of the appropriate institutional thickness that is desirable for innovation. Being an exploratory undertaking, the study does not purport to be an exhaustive account of the issues raised, especially that complexity theory is itself still an emerging phenomenon

Surfing the landscape of barriers and incentives to sustainability assessment in an urban development context

Assessment of urban sustainability can be considered as a means to an end as it is often intended to guide decision-making in a way that contributes to sustainable urban development. The contribution of assessment mechanisms towards the achievement of this goal depends to a large extent on the level of use and adoption of sustainability assessment tools amongst the diversity of users. Since the development of a Sustainable Development Strategy in 1998, the UK Government has given sustainable development prominence on the policy agenda, with similar emphasis being reflected at EU legislation level. Investigation of the barriers and incentives to sustainability assessment can supplement this increasing prominence of sustainability in decision-making processes and the equally increasing need for sustainability assessment. A review of the literature on the subject suggests that although much has been written on barriers and incentives to sustainability, very little work has been done on factors that hinder or encourage uptake of sustainability assessment tools. Against this background, the aim of this paper is to investigate and identify the barriers and incentives to sustainability assessment and the adoption of assessment tools. This should provide a starting point for assessing the potential impact of various approaches and incentives to overcome the barriers to sustainability assessment. Four broad sets of barriers and incentives are identified as perceptual, institutional; economic; and technological factors. The paper further discusses some of the enablers associated with the various policies and legislative instruments at the political hierarchies of: the EU; the UK (including the devolved governments); and local government levels. The paper concludes by suggesting that the identified barriers and incentives should be given due consideration during the development of any sustainability assessment tool

Effects of COVID-19 on the relationship between inflation and REITs returns in South Africa

PurposeThis research aims to ascertain the extent to which the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic affected the relationship between inflation and real estate investment trusts (REITs) returns in South Africa.Design/methodology/approachThis research used the Johansen cointegration test and effective test in establishing if there is a long-run cointegrating equation between the variables. To ascertain if COVID-19 resulted in a different relationship regime between inflation and REITs returns, the sequential Bai–Perron method was used.FindingsBetween December 2013 and July 2022, there was no evidence of a long-run relationship between inflation and REITs returns, and a restricted vector autoregressive (VAR) model with a period lag for each variable best describing the relationship. Using the sequential Bai–Perron method, for one break, the results show February 2020 as a structural break in the relationship. A cointegrating equation is also found for the period before the structural break and another after the break. Interestingly, the relationship is negative before the break and a new positive relationship (regime) is confirmed after the noted break.Practical implicationsThis research helps REITs stakeholders to position themselves in light of any changes to macroeconomic activity within South Africa.Originality/valueThis is one of the first studies to test inflation relationship with REITs returns in South Africa and the effects of COVID-19 thereof. This research helps REITs stakeholders to position themselves in light of any changes to macroeconomic activity within South Africa

Barriers to the adoption of sustainability assessment tools in strategic decision making

The ubiquitous drive towards a more sustainable future has resulted in major changes in the planning and design of urban environments. Government strategies on sustainable development, published in 1999 and 2005, are thought to be driving the development of new legislations that are aimed at delivering a sustainable future for the UK. As a result, conventional stand-alone approaches to decision making in strategic planning are being replaced by more participatory and evidence-based approaches. These focus on achieving sustainability by taking into account the dynamic interactions between social, economic and environmental aspects of urban environments. The sheer volume of complex urban issues, the multiplicity of stakeholders and their varying values and diversity of viewpoints - all contribute towards making urban sustainability and its assessment an intellectually challenging task. Many tools have been developed to aid the decision making process by assessing the impacts of urban projects throughout their lifecycle. Sustainability assessment (SA) tools range from the assessment of a single indicator within a given context to the integrated assessment of a wide range of indicators covering many facets of sustainable development. However, the adoption of SA tools in decision making for strategic planning remains low. is paper reports on the findings of the research aimed at the identification and classification of the factors that had the potential to hinder or encourage the adoption of SA tools during the preparation of a local strategic plan. Based on the findings of a review of relevant literature, questionnaire survey, follow up interviews and a case study, the application context of SA tools was identified. To better understand the barriers to the adoption of SA tools, concepts from information sciences were taken into account. The findings reveal that in the complex platform of decision making, the adoption of tools is often constrained by the chain effects of interconnected barriers relating to technology, people and resources. The lack of appropriate tools to serve the demands of the sustainability assessment process and the lack of relevant expertise are the major barriers to the adoption of SA tools. Emerging policy context calls for robust and integrated tools that will perform efficiently to guide the decision making process. Joined-up efforts are required from academia and industry to develop the SA tools and to enhance professionals’ skills in the application of SA tools to meet the challenges of sustainability decision making in an emerging policy context

Defining, identifying and mapping stakeholders in the assessment of urban sustainability

The assessment of sustainability requires that the diverse values of the stakeholders are represented in the context-specific interpretation of sustainability and in the choice of a desired course of action. Sustainability is a broad concept, and the stakeholders in sustainability are many. In order to have effective stakeholder engagement, it is crucial that all the relevant stakeholders are identified early in the process. In urban development projects, some stakeholders may be obvious, but there might be others who are excluded from the usual decision-making processes and may bear disproportionate environmental, social or economic costs leading to inequitable outcomes. This situation has created the need for a systematic approach to defining and identifying stakeholders for different contexts. This paper evaluates existing approaches for defining and identifying stakeholders in development projects and the requirements of a sustainability assessment process. From this analysis, an approach for defining and identifying stakeholders appropriate for sustainability assessment has been developed. The paper also argues that it is important to map out the levels of interest of different stakeholders in relation to the power that they hold. This is useful in determining the appropriate engagement techniques at each stage of a project and also in understanding any potential conflicts. It is thus important to understand the relationships between the different stakeholders because this can affect the success of the engagement process. Such a mapping of stakeholders can also be useful in anticipating their expectations

Determinants of social capital: prioritising issues for holistic urban sustainability assessments

The concept of social capital is gaining increasing recognition as a concomitant for social and economic development. Robert Putnam's (2000) exposition of the crucial correspondence between the decline of social capital on one hand and the economic lives of American people on the other received wide acclaim at home and abroad. Contemporary literature on development studies is equally replete with references to the World Bank's subscription that social capital has an important role to play fostering sustainable development. There is a general agreement among proponents of social capital that well-governed cities which exhibit strong economic growth do so because of their high stocks of social capital (Portes, 1998). There is also a similar realisation that the design and form of cities, neighbourhoods and individual buildings have significant implications on social capital as they can affect the way people interact and bond with each other and the sense of community among individuals (Dannenberg et al, 2003; Lindström et al, 2003). The fundamental premise is that some urban designs encourage social ties and informal contact among residents while others violate the evolutionary pattern of civicness within the urban existence. The aim of this paper is to identify and examine the key determinants of social capital within an urban development context. This should set the platform for a predictive model of social capital, which will enable the incorporation of the concept in a holistic urban sustainability assessment framework. The paper argues that social capital is a subject of self-organisation, whose evolution to higher levels can be catalysed by the prevalence of a critical balance in the design of the physical urban environment

Exploring constraining factors for use of private sector finance in delivery of public sector infrastructure in Tanzania: A qualitative study

While governments remain accountable for the delivery of infrastructure services, given the paucity of public resources, studies have recommended the use of private sector finance (PSF) as an alternative approach to delivering sustainable infrastructure both in developed and developing economies. Despite the recommendation, there has been very little use of PSF in delivering public projects, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, this study explores the constraining factors for the use of PSF in the delivery of public infrastructure in Tanzania and proposes recommendations. A total of 10 semi-structured interviews were conducted with different stakeholders delivering public infrastructure services. Interviewees were purposefully selected. Data were analyzed through conceptual content analysis. The findings reveal that the top five constraining factors were inadequate knowledge and skills, lack of policy to support or suffice PSF, bureaucracy or delays of approvals, lack of proper models for PSF, and lack of skilled people or existence of a big national skill gap. Thus, the identified constraints provided useful insights and were used as a road map for suggesting appropriate solutions to enhance the use of PSF. Furthermore, this is the first study to empirically explore the constraining factors for PSF in delivering infrastructure projects in the Tanzanian context

Exploring constraining factors for use of private sector finance in delivery of public sector infrastructure in Tanzania: A qualitative study

While governments remain accountable for the delivery of infrastructure services, given the paucity of public resources, studies have recommended the use of private sector finance (PSF) as an alternative approach to delivering sustainable infrastructure both in developed and developing economies. Despite the recommendation, there has been very little use of PSF in delivering public projects, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, this study explores the constraining factors for the use of PSF in the delivery of public infrastructure in Tanzania and proposes recommendations. A total of 10 semi-structured interviews were conducted with different stakeholders delivering public infrastructure services. Interviewees were purposefully selected. Data were analyzed through conceptual content analysis. The findings reveal that the top five constraining factors were inadequate knowledge and skills, lack of policy to support or suffice PSF, bureaucracy or delays of approvals, lack of proper models for PSF, and lack of skilled people or existence of a big national skill gap. Thus, the identified constraints provided useful insights and were used as a road map for suggesting appropriate solutions to enhance the use of PSF. Furthermore, this is the first study to empirically explore the constraining factors for PSF in delivering infrastructure projects in the Tanzanian context

Lecturer's pedagogical attributes and teaching quality for construction and engineering education in UK universities: mediating effect of research informed teaching

PurposeResearchers have opined that the quality of commitment to pedagogical approaches by lecturers is one of the most important factors in determining student academic success. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the mediating effect of research informed teaching on the relationship between lecturer commitment to use of pedagogical approaches and teaching quality, with a view towards enabling delivery of high quality teaching and learning in HEIs.Design/methodology/approachThe research is based on an online survey of the perception of 186 undergraduate and postgraduate students in four major UK universities. Covariance-based structural equation modelling (SEM) methodology was used to quantity and clarify the influence of lecturers' pedagogical attributes on teaching quality, mediated by research-informed teaching.FindingsFindings reveal that: lecturers' pedagogical attributes have significant positive effect on teaching quality, research-informed teaching have significant positive effect on teaching quality, lecturers' pedagogical attributes have weak positive effect on research-informed teaching, and research-informed teaching partially mediates (indirect effect) the relationship between lecturers' pedagogical attributes and teaching quality.Practical implicationsStructural equation models are useful for clarifying concepts in pedagogy and have implications for education managers on how to improve teaching and learning in HEIs.Originality/valueThe paper presents a unique quantitative model for measuring the degree of teaching quality in universities

From worst slum to best example of regeneration: Complexity in the regeneration of Hulme, Manchester

One of the celebrated features of the emergence of 'complexity thinking' on the research scene is its acclaimed ability to cut across disciplinary boundaries, offering potential explanations to pertinent issues that have haunted 'experts' and bureaucrats for a long time. In the fi eld of urban studies, such vexing questions revolve around the notoriety and reluctance of the urban system to be harnessed into our-own-made, control-oriented predictive models. Despite the prevalence of copious volumes of literature on the subject, there are still more questions than answers in the understanding of the urban system. This paper attempts to view urban regeneration through the lenses of complexity theory. The task involves a historical narrative that weighs the evolution of the re-generation processes of a once highly deprived inner city area of Hulme in Manchester against the characteristic features of complex adaptive systems. A premium is placed on the analysis of the design platform and processes that saw Hulme emerge from worst slum in Manchester to one of the exemplars of regeneration in England. The analysis goes beyond mere explanation by making a commitment to securing potential areas for better-informed intervention. The fundamental argument that is championed is that even prior to central intervention, there is usually a resilient prior reality that characterizes that particular setting and that successful intervention is a function of how well a programme conforms to these natural tendencies