Suchergebnisse

In November 2021, the Łódź City Council adopted the "City Development Strategy - Łódź 2030+" document. The strategy used the "cocreated city" catchword as its guiding idea. Also in 2021, the Łódź Foundation launched the Project "Łódź as a Co-Created And Co-Governed City", which included a series of individual in-depth interviews with local journalists and municipal office stakeholders. For the purposes of this article, the collected research material was analysed in terms of current application of the governance concept elements. The visions of city governance offered by the authorities and by representatives of various stakeholder groups were also compared to each other. Moreover, an attempt was made to analyse the possible directions for the implementation of these visions. The conducted analyses show that the directions of activities to be undertaken in order to make the idea of governance a reality have been identified and described in a similar way by both the Łódź Municipal Office and the stakeholders. The differences between the two visions are the result of participatory, not always positive, experiences of stakeholders. Based on the hypothetical directions of implementing the idea of governance, either a variant assuming a new opening in relations with stakeholders or a variant of continued apparent activities appears likely.

The synergies between rapid information technology (IT) development and the shifting paradigms of economic transactions have led to the emergence of digital entrepreneurship. This study aims to investigate potential precursors affecting the intention of final-year business students to engage in digital entrepreneurship. This research was examining the IT acceptance among the business students by employing two tailored technology acceptance models based on the theory of planned behavior and theory of reasoned action models. A sample of 302 respondents were analyzed using SPSS and Smart-PLS. The results revealed that fresh graduates' intentions to engage in digital entrepreneurship were significantly influenced by their own attitudes towards IT. The study also reaffirmed that the dimensions of I. Ajzen's theory of planned behavior model, including attitude towards IT, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, subjective norms except perceived risk have a "direct effect" on undergraduates' interest in an Internet-based business model. Although the results have contributed to filling the paucity of the empirical research in digital entrepreneurship, particularly in the Asian region, the availability of information technology, government resources and support to affect digital usage and behavior are not to be underestimated.

Due to weak economies or ill-adapted public policies aggravated by the pandemic, official services dedicated to the unconditional reception and support of people in psychosocial distress in large urban areas are often put to the test. Here is an overview of the approach of the action research "Evolution after COVid-19 of the Invisibility of Precarities" (ECOVIP) dedicated to this phenomenon, as along with its first steps showing preliminary results concerning the precarity of unemployed pre-old people in Lyon, France.This participative research is based on workshops that bring together professionals from both the front-line psychosocial field and other fields such as employment or work, and in which they are offered a free expression of their lived situations of reception of precarious people. The first results provided by the scientific and transparent analysis of these exchanges show both a fairly precise understanding of the institutional decision leading to increasing invisibility, and the emergence of innovative professional resources capable of curbing it.

Both the smart city and U-city concepts were created as a response to the challenges related to the increasing level of urbanization and the further development of the latest technologies. These so-called smart cities are designed to use information and communication technologies (ICTs) to improve operational efficiency, make information available to the public, provide better government services and increase the overall level of well-being of citizens. In this article the author will analyze the development of the "smart city" concept, and then present her conclusions and observations based on the example of the South Korean city of Songdo, which is currently one of the most progressive business centers of the ubiquitous city type. Subsequently she will answer two main research questions: 1. What distinguishes a ubiquitous city from a standard smart city project? 2. What are the obstacles, challenges, and incentives for further development in the implementation of the above concept in South Korea? Two main research methods will be used in the article - a comparative method, helpful in identifying visible links between similar phenomena and entities, and a content analysis method, based on a literature review on the topics covered in the work, including issues related to the city of Songdo.

The article contains a case study of residents' participation in the process of shaping the city's public expenditure through participatory budgeting. The case of Hrubieszów deserves a closer look due to the pro-participatory attitude of a significant number of the city's officials, social activists, and residents. There is also a certain level of enthusiasm, despite the fact that participatory budgeting arrived in the city relatively late - in 2017. This article presents the functioning of this process both from the perspective of the local authorities and officials, as well as the project applicants and residents involved in the process. The focus of analysis is on local signs of readiness to cooperate which, in favorable conditions, focus on "deliberative moments" and are followed by a "deliberative stance," constituting a basis for pro-participation activities.

The purpose of this article is an interdisciplinary and cross-domain analysis of the idea of restoration of watercourses in urban landscapes. We refer to publications from the field of urban studies, ecohydrology and ecological humanities. In the first part of the article, we define the problem range and analyse the narrations of the artistic projects of the recent period dealing with blue infrastructure in cities. Next, we review case studies illustrating good practice in urban spaces involving the so-called urban-river concept. These examples will allow us to identify benefits to be found for cities, especially in the field of the fight on climate change. The article aims to outline possible solutions for the urban landscape, including opportunities to enrich the urban culture and identity.

Sport brings to cities innovative solutions that influence urban life, yet considerations about sport still rarely contribute to the development of the very popular smart city concept. This raises the question: what is the perception of sport in the city from the perspective of the smart city concept? One of the challenges of future urban policy is to provide initiatives that ensure the wellbeing and promote the model of a healthy city, especially during the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, sport creates an opportunity to combat these challenges. The study provides an in-depth literature review on sport factors influencing smart city domains through a systematic review process. Exploring this topic creates a paradigm for future studies regarding the discourse on smart cities and the impact of sport on the evolution of cities of tomorrow. In particular, it indicates potential areas of interest from the point of view of local authorities and policymakers, who are able to incorporate governance through sport agendas.

The concept of social capital has been recognized as one of the key aspect of public administration and is an essential part of local urban policy. From the point of view of the inhabitants, it conveys a sense of subjectivity, achievement, participation and co-government. Much more important is that social capital will be characterized by a measurable impact in terms of civic engagement in local affairs. Racibórz was selected as a case study due to the city's proximity to the border. On the one hand, it is regarded with a long tradition of self-government, self-organization, belonging to different legal and administrative systems throughout history, and on the other hand, with a marginal position in the territory and in the administrative structures of the country and the region. All these factors have, over the course of history, given rise to inhabitants' behavioral patterns and created the basic forms and structures of civil society and/or social capital. Based on qualitative and ethnographic field studies, the authors presents the experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic phenomena, which changes the structures of social capital in Raciborz by reducing/destroying it and ask the question how it can be rebuilt in the future. The aim of the article is to present one of the current challenges for urban policy in Poland: social participation, especially in the context of the concept of social capital, in Raciborz town at the time of the (post) Covid-19 pandemic.

Opposing the spatial degeneration of cities requires a wide range of efforts which combine, among others, activities related to blue and green infrastructure (BGI). This paper examines the scope and manner of using BGI to revitalise space in municipal revitalisation programmes (MRP). In the first part of the study, the theoretical framework for the studied issues has been outlined based on subject literature. The manner of understanding BGI and revitalisation in the current legal system has been defined. The analysis covered 60 MRPs from 2016 to 2021 in accordance with the methodology set out in the second part of the study, based on how often BGI appeared in key MRP sections such as in-depth diagnosis of revitalisation area, the objectives and directions of the process, and the revitalisation projects. The last part of the paper describes the results of analysis and their evaluation. One of the main conclusions of the work we conducted is that BGI elements appear quite frequently in revitalisation programmes; however, their full potential remains untapped. The projects carried out in the studied area have rarely had the form of complex urban projects. The main method of using BGI in MRPs is currently the technical dimension that focuses on improving the quality of existing resources. To a lesser extent, revitalisation projects that use the BGI concept are reflected in the social and occasionally in the natural dimension.

This article deals with the effects of COVID-19 on the urban governance of Milan. The author argues that, despite the changeable situation still ongoing, looking at the measures assumed in 2020, the Municipality of Milan took middle-term strategies and radical decisions for the design and the use of the city from a perspective of sustainable prosperity together with the pandemic management. According to the "Milano 2020" Adaptation Strategy, several policies were adopted in order to decongest public areas through the enlargement of spaces and services. In particular, during that period, the administration planned new policies in order to empower urban flexibility, rhythms and times, diversified mobility, public and green spaces, infrastructures, cooperation, and inclusion. In conclusion, the author argues that the pandemic has redefined the urban prosperity of Milan in relation to the sustainable transition and the new social challenges determined by the global scenario.

This paper employs cases to discuss the impact of information, disinformation, and the evolution of scientific data as part of public health policy development in the COVID-19 pandemic. The two areas of policy development center on (1) risk and public health precautions (e.g., mask mandates, cleaning protocols, and social distancing) and (2) risk and economic/travel policy (e.g., regional economic shutdown, travel restrictions, border closures). Key to the analysis is the understanding of social risk production and public trust in institutions and individuals within those institutions that craft emergency, interim, and long-lasting public policy. The paper concludes with recommendations for enhancing public trust in government institutions and the management of risks during times of disasters, crises, and pandemics.

After the emergence of "new media," propaganda and so-called "alternative facts" are some of the main tools that have been used by governments, individuals, or interest groups to recalibrate the narration of certain information. By using the basic storytelling methods, the Narrative Policy Framework (NPF) allows policymakers to use the media to spread the newer dynamics of narration. Since 2014, after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power, the government has constantly been using narration through the state-funded media that have changed the overall media landscape in the country. Thus, using the NPF, this research aims to perform a media content analysis of India and discuss the changing media landscape of the nation. To prove the argument, the article provides various empirical examples and facts (from India) which are changing the narrative among the public and the ruling party's pursuit of its political aims by radical change in public policy.

The effectiveness of representative democracy in South Africa is questionable, given the lack of confidence in the Parliament and the recurring service delivery protests, which indicate that citizens' opinions are unheard. Due to this, the Members of Parliament (MPs) devise strategies such as democratic innovation to involve citizens in policymaking as the platform for deliberation. Given this context, the paper discusses public participation in policymaking and how declining confidence in the Parliament necessitates democratic innovations as a panacea for increasing citizens' participation in Parliament activities. The paper also identifies dilemmas that occur in public involvement. Data was generated by interviews (with 16 MPs), observation of plenary debates, minutes of the Parliament, Hansard, minutes of Select and Standing Committees, and Parliamentary speeches. Findings suggest that despite the complexity of implementing public participation in South Africa, the Parliament has made significant progress since 1994 in widening democratic innovation to facilitate public participation. However, disadvantaged people continue to be marginalized from policymaking. The paper suggests that there is a need for political education and public participation in policymaking to strengthen democratic institutions in South Africa.

This paper develops a unified model of policy diffusion to analyze the speed of adoption of statewide lockdown policies within a federal system during the COVID-19 pandemic. The modified unified model was built to improve our understanding of policy diffusion in contexts where existing models fall short. The authors highlight three main policy diffusion channels: regional, vertical, and internal. The paper shows the empirical test of the model across US states and finds that vertical effects, such as higher approval ratings for President Donald Trump, as well as a comparatively high proportion of COVID-19 federal funding support, bear a strong positive association with the speed of statewide lockdown adoption policies. In addition, certain internal effects are also important - higher governor approval ratings are positively associated with the speed of statewide lockdown adoption policies, as are state and local spending, democratic state governments, and population awareness of the virus. However, other internal factors, such as the stringency of statewide lockdown policies and the relative proportion of COVID-19 deaths in a state, were minimally associated with the speed of lockdown policy adoption. Surprisingly, unlike past studies, horizontal regional effects did not play a significant role in the presented analysis - the speed of adoption of lockdown policies by neighboring states bears no association with the speed of policy adoption of statewide lockdowns. Overall, the results suggest a strong influence of political factors on the speed of statewide lockdown adoption policies in the US.