Total quality management's effect on the manufacturing industry, Manufacturing Info

Total quality management's effect on the manufacturing industry, Manufacturing Info: "TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT'S EFFECT ON THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY"

Almost every manufacturing company is worried about their quality, no matter what department it is. The reason for this is that your overall quality can actually affect your relationship with your customers and in manufacturing your customers are everything. Basically in manufacturing if your customers are not happy with your quality they are not going to use your company which means you are going to suffer when it comes to sales and overall profits. But if your customers are happy with your quality then they are going to come back over and over again, not to mention refer you to other companies, which can in turn increase your sales and improve your overall profits. So as a manufacturing company you should seriously consider implementing a new total quality management program today.

Here are some things to think about when it comes to how total quality management can affect your manufacturing plant.

Number one:
Something that you need to think about when it comes to manufacturing is that employee turnover is actually very high, so one of the main goals of total quality management is to improve the work environment so that your employees will want to stay rather than leave.. Many entry level workers do not receive the training or feedback that they want to receive when they are trying to work their way up in the company. What usually happens is that manufacturing workers find that they have learned everything that there is to learn and won't be going anywhere else in the company so what they end up doing is moving on to a different company. This is not good for any company because turnover has a huge effect on the quality of the manufacturing system for many reasons. One of the main reasons is that there are costs associated with hiring and training new individuals. Another reason is that inexperienced workers are more likely to make mistakes which slow down the whole operation. So basically what you are going to have to do is to come up with some way to keep your employee around by increasing employee morale through total quality management.

Number two:
The total quality management also affects your manufacturing plant because it is designed to help improve your actual product. Part of the total quality management process begins by taking random sample selections of the product and testing those samples for the characteristics that are the most important to the customer. Something that you need to be aware of is that failures in the product should not only be isolated and removed, but they should also be used as a learning tools that your company can make better products. Some ways that you can use total quality management to improve your product is by evaluating the rules that dictate if a product is satisfactory or not, look closer at the products for failure, and using research and development to work more closely with the product testing team to see where concepts are not matching possibilities for performance. Basically what this is saying is that improving the product should be a company wide goal not just the responsibility of individual departments. So what you are going to need to do is to involve all the workers in the improvement of a product. This will result in more ideas that can be utilized but it will also allow all members of the manufacturing plant floor to feel that they have some kind of ownership in the product.

Number three:
Something else that you are going to need to think about when it comes to total quality management is that in order to improve your profits you are going to have to improve what you have your assembly line. And the best way to go about improving both your profits and your assembly line is to improve the wellbeing of those individuals in your organization. One of the best places to start looking at when you are preparing to make cut backs on costs and eliminate wastes is your quality assurance through the use of statistical methods. The reason for this is that it is very rare for improved profits to be found in an increased selling price. So what you are going to have to do is create a more desirable product while at the same time reducing employee turnover. In improving the quality of your manufacturing plant's work environment you will find a key factor to a financially rewarding business situation.

Rise of Intelligent City – Accenture Outlook

Rise of Intelligent City – Accenture Outlook: "Cities actually compete for citizens and enterprises, much as businesses compete for customers."

BDM - Mobile Bazaar (5+ yrs)

BDM - Mobile Bazaar:

Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ: INTU) is the world’s leading provider of software and web-based services for consumers and small businesses. Our flagship products and services include well-known brands such as TurboTax, Quicken and QuickBooks. Founded in 1983, Intuit has annual revenues of over $3 billion and reaches over 25 million customers with ~8,000 employees in several countries. Fortune Magazine recognized Intuit as "America’s Most Admired Software Company" and one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" for the last several years running.



No matter where you find us, we remain committed to creating new and easier ways for consumers and businesses to tackle life's chores through technology, giving them more time to live their lives and run their businesses. Building on our success in the online/SaaS space, we are aggressively moving into mobile space particularly in Emerging Markets such as India, where mobile is the medium of choice.



About rural space

In most Emerging Markets, ~70% of the population resides in rural areas and contribute anywhere from 30% to 50% of GDP of these economies. Further, not only the rate of new technology adoption has significantly picked up in rural areas but also the nature of technology being adopted is a generation ahead of the technology currently in use in the urban areas - from ultra low-cost biometric ATMs used by micro-finance institutions for payment collection to mobile-based solutions for farmers who will never need to know about or own a computer. In a country like India, 71% of new mobile subscribers are from rural areas highlighting both saturation in urban areas and increasing openness to technology in rural areas.



As part of Intuit's mission to use technology to help impact millions of lives in the emerging markets, we have piloted a mobile agriculture experiment by the name of “Mobile Bazaar” targeting ~270 million farmers in India.



Mobile Bazaar experiment objective

One of the biggest pain points for the ~35-65 million Indian perishable vegetable growers today is uncertainty around whether they are getting the best price for their goods. In addition, there is a need help the farmers avoid having to heavily discount to liquidate their perishable inventory. The core objective of the experiment stems from “to enable farmers to get more money for their produce”.



Mobile Bazaar solution

Mobile Bazaar is a simple SMS-based marketplace that connects sellers (farmers) and buyers (mandi agents). It allows buyers to communicate their demand & price and matches sellers to buyers. As a result, not only it helps farmers get better price for their produce, but it also increases buyers’ access to sellers. Our solution is powered by automated matching algorithm, ability to send personalized SMS to each farmer and capability to leverage user contribution for price data collection.



Current status

Currently, the experiment is in midst of a pilot across 1000+ villages in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh supporting 15 major vegetables in 38 mandis (marketplaces). More than 25,000 farmers have already signed up in about two months since launch. As per recently conducted IMRB survey, 73% of the users find this service useful and admit to achieving 14% higher price realization by using Mobile Bazaar.



The road ahead

This experiment has far-reaching implications beyond India. It enables tapping rural customers in Emerging Markets where rural accounts for a significant portion of GDP. The experiment is based on an entry-level mobile solution, which is ubiquitous and highly disruptive with the potential of entrenching itself in the ecosystem through the creation of network effect.



Role Overview

The candidate will lead exploration and execution of monetization options for this service. There are several companies that have already reached out to us to use the Mobile Bazaar platform to advertise their products and to communicate information to farmers. Key activities in this role include:

· Developing a win-win commercial and engagement model to work with the two most high potential monetization partners

· Working with internal stakeholders and monetization partners to gain shared vision on the model

· Executing on the model to produce tangible proof points of monetization opportunity in a time-bound manner i.e. conclusive results within the next 4 months



Mobile Bazaar is a high-priority initiative for the company. This is a unique opportunity to work on a disruptive rural social impact initiative in an innovative technology start-up environment. Compensation is not a constraint for the right candidate.

Livestock and Forage Production, Finance, and Economics Downloads

Livestock and Forage Production, Finance, and Economics Downloads: "Livestock and Forage Production, Finance, and Economics
Software Downloads"

• AUM Demand and Supply
  This program allows the user to estimate the amount of Animal Unit Months (AUMs) of forage required and tons of hay required for up to four different groups of livestock. The program estimates the forage required based on the weight of different types of animals (bulls, cows, calves, yearlings, horses, sheep and wildlife) and the length of time each type of animal gets its nutritional needs from grazing. This program does not account for the possible differences in range land production and animal needs. It only considers the needs of the various types of animals for the length of the grazing period desired. The basic assumption behind this approach is that management of the groups is assuring the actual range land is producing the forage required to meet the animals needs. Two separate estimates are provided for AUMs required. The first is based strictly on the length of time the animals get their nutritional needs from grazing. This estimate is done without regard to where the animals are grazing. The second estimate allows the user to enter a detailed pasture rotation using the number of animals of each type, the time on and time off of each pasture to help determine if the pasture rotation, based on management consideration for the actual forage available in a particular pasture, is supplying adequate forage for the entire group of animals. The requires for the groups entered are summarized for comparison and to show total AUMs required for the operation.
  
  
• Beef Cow Financial and Partial Budgeting (Formerly Livestock Partial Budgeting)
  This spreadsheet will analyze changes in a cow-calf operation using a financial analysis approach and a partial budgeting format. The user enters the income, expenses, and other cash inflows and outflows for a normal operation, then specifies up to 6 alternative production, marketing, or other methods of operation. Each alternative requires the user to specify what changes would be made "relative to the base operation." Revised January 2008
  
  
• Breakeven Prices
  Allows the calculation of break-even prices for a wide range of starting prices and costs of gain for feeder livestock. View/download a pdf file.
  
  
• Calf Wintering Background
  Calculates the profitability of putting calves on feed through the winter period. View/download a pdf file.
  
  
• Cash, Futures, Basis Data (Revised November 2010)
  Average monthly futures and feeder cattle prices and average monthly cash prices and basis data for selected weight groups for steers and heifers from 1983 through 2006. Steer cash price and basis data for 400 to 500 pounds, 500 to 600 pounds, 600 to 700 pounds and 700 to 800 pounds. Heifer cash price and basis data for 400 to 500 pounds, 500 to 600 pounds, 600 to 700 pounds.
  
  
• Cow Calf Feeder Stocker Budgeting
  This spreadsheet estimates enterprise budgets for cow-calf operations, back grounding/feeding for various lengths of time and running stockers on pasture. The spreadsheet uses an economic approach to estimating profitability of these three phases of commercial beef production faced by cow-calf producers in the northwest. The spreadsheet also allows the user to calculate a share lease percentage for the cow-calf enterprise. The cost contributions approach to leasing is used to estimate an equitable percentage share of the revenue for the cow owner and the person running the cows on a day-today basis. The cost contributions approach assumes that an equitable share of revenue is the same percentage share that each party pays for the costs of the cow-calf enterprise. The spreadsheet estimates the profitability for the cow-calf enterprise as a whole and also estimates the profitability for the both the cow owner and person running the cows if a lease is in place. The spreadsheet also estimates cash lease rates for the cow-calf enterprise using the share lease calculations as the starting point. Revised January 2008
  
  
• Cow Cost
  Calculates the ownership and operating costs for a commercial beef enterprise. View/download a pdf file.
  
  
• Ewe Cost
  Enterprise budgeting for a ewe flock operation. Calculates both variable and fixed costs and shows both cash flow and profitability analysis for a ewe flock enterprise.
  
  
• GRASSFAT
  Calculates the profitability of putting steers or heifers on summer pasture. Calculates the break-even prices necessary to cover all production costs and also calculates the break-even purchase price with a given sales price. Can be used in conjunction with CALFWINT to estimate break-even prices necessary for yearlings. View/download a pdf file.
  
  
• Hay Costs on Cow Calf Profitability
  This template allows users to enter average information about the revenue and expenses related to a cow calf enterprise. The user can then examine the impact on profitability of substituting hay purchases for a loss in AUMs of grazing for any r 11/24/10 etc. Average cow-calf enterprise costs are included as a guide for required data entry.
  
  

  Calculates calf performance statistics for cow-calf operations. This template will handle any number of cattle if mating is not known. Follows Beef Improvement Federation performance guidelines but breed specific adjustment factors can be entered by the user. Calculates one year of performance statistics and does not keep cow histories.

  If using Excel 97, both Microsoft patches/updates SR-1 and SR-2b must be installed. You may also want to install the Microsoft Date Migration Wizard. These can be downloaded from the Microsoft web site free of charge. Excel 2000 runs this template without the updates. View/download a pdf file.

• Haying System Enterprise Budgeting
  
  Updated to include calculating custom rates for haying systems.
  
  This spreadsheet allows the user to estimate the operating and ownership costs of a specific type of haying systems. The user must enter machinery and equipment information for various types of systems, round bale, small square bale, large square bale, or some combination of these systems they use to put up hay. The user must specify the type of machinery and equipment used for cutting, raking, baling and hauling and stacking. The program estimates the machinery costs for each of these steps and if desired, lets the user develop enterprise budgets for the haying and stand establishment enterprises.
  
  
• Herd Size and Cattle Cycle
  This template allows the user to evaluate changing herd sizes in response to cattle cycles or drought conditions. The user must enter information about their current situation and what they want to evaluate over time. Alternatives that can be considered include selling all or part of the breeding livestock and leasing the remaining resources (hay & grass), holding additional heifer calves at weaning, purchasing replacement animals which can be either young breeding stock or short term cows, or some combination of the above. The analysis shows both inflation adjusted income and expenses and a discounted (net present value) analysis of the income and expenses for a given herd management strategy.
  
  
• Noxious Weed Control
  Economic analysis of long-term weed control. Uses a capital investment analysis to determine the economic feasibility of controlling noxious weeds.
  
  
• Ranch Horse Enterprise Budget
  This program allows the user to estimate the development costs, or the profitability of a ranch horse development enterprise. The user is required to enter the operating and ownership costs that apply to a ranch horse enterprise. This budgeting software does not include a breeding program, only the development costs that follow a breeding program.
  
  
• Sheep Grazing Crops Partial Budgeting
  This program analyzes the use of sheep for grazing grain stubble to control insects. It can be sued to evaluate options for grazing sheep owned by someone else or sheep owned by yourself. Input in the program is collected for the small grain enterprises that might be grown on an operation and the changes in profitability and cash flow that would occur substituting sheep grazing for inset or weed control. The example included in this program is very simple, including only the possible changes that would occur if allowing someone else to bring sheep in to graze your grain for insect control. The program allows up to six alternative methods of operation to be compared side by side for profitability and cash flow analysis. Results of the changes are shown relative to the base case.

Void dwellings—a ‘headline’ indicator? - Tate - 2002 - Sustainable Development - Wiley Online Library

Void dwellings—a ‘headline’ indicator? - Tate - 2002 - Sustainable Development - Wiley Online Library: "Void dwellings—a ‘headline’ indicator?"

This paper explores a specific theme within the context of the use of ‘headline’ indicators by the UK strategy on sustainable development. It argues that the indicator on housing (unfit dwellings) might appropriately be replaced by a measure relating to void (empty) dwellings. Following an interpretation of what constitutes a ‘headline’ indicator, the paper explores the role of such an indicator in assessing the sustainability of the housing system in terms of the respective roles played by both unfit and void dwellings. The argument is then expanded through an examination of current issues and initiatives in relation to void dwellings, including abandonment in the core areas of some cities and falling demand in the social housing sector generally. The implications for the environment of poor management of the housing stock are stressed, as are the linkages between man-made and natural systems. Failure to address the issues raised could result in a ‘lose–lose’ situation with unsustainable outcomes for both urban and rural environments. The void dwelling measure is superior to that of unfits on a range of counts, but particularly if this wider context is taken into consideration. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment.

Bridging the gaps between theory and practice: a service niche approach to urban sustainability indicators - Keirstead - 2007 - Sustainable Development - Wiley Online Library

Bridging the gaps between theory and practice: a service niche approach to urban sustainability indicators - Keirstead - 2007 - Sustainable Development - Wiley Online Library: "Bridging the gaps between theory and practice: a service niche approach to urban sustainability indicators"

Urban sustainability indicators play an important role in helping policy-makers ensure the continued success of their cities. However, a review of current practice suggests that priority is often given to the measurability and policy relevance of these metrics. Their analytical validity – i.e. their ability to act as meaningful representations of the urban system and thus inform appropriate policy responses – is less certain. An examination of London's USIs confirms this gap between theory and practice and identifies vague definitions of urban sustainability as part of the problem. A ‘service niche’ approach to indicator selection is therefore outlined, using pervasive goal-oriented urban services such as energy or water systems to guide the selection of policy-relevant interconnected metrics. Strategies for expanding such niches to wider assessments of urban sustainability are also discussed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

How can the construction industry contribute to sustainable development? A conceptual framework - Sev - 2008 - Sustainable Development - Wiley Online Library

How can the construction industry contribute to sustainable development? A conceptual framework - Sev - 2008 - Sustainable Development - Wiley Online Library: "How can the construction industry contribute to sustainable development? A conceptual framework"

The importance of the construction industry for the three elements of sustainable development, namely economic growth, social progress and effective protection of the environment, cannot be disregarded. This paper aims to evolve a conceptual framework for implementing sustainability principles and strategies to the construction industry from a life-cycle perspective to contribute to sustainable development. The framework relies on three basic principles, which are resource management, life-cycle design and design for human and environment. Following a literature review, each principle involving strategies and methods to be applied during the life cycle of construction projects is explained and a few case studies are presented for clarity on the methods. The framework, offering tools for stakeholders of the construction industry, also aims to help to develop the most appropriate assessment tool, which is based on the priorities of critical conditions. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

Urban Poverty: Reconsidering its Scale and Nature - Satterthwaite - 2009 - IDS Bulletin - Wiley Online Library

Urban Poverty: Reconsidering its Scale and Nature - Satterthwaite - 2009 - IDS Bulletin - Wiley Online Library: "Urban Poverty: Reconsidering its Scale and Nature"

The article describes how and why the scale of urban poverty in much of Africa, Asia and Latin America seems to have been underestimated, its nature misunderstood (or for political reasons, misrepresented) and the best means for reducing it rarely acted upon. It suggests that the income level needed to avoid poverty in most urban areas has been underestimated, largely because too little consideration is given to the cost of essential non-food items. It also suggests that most low-income groups in urban areas face a health burden from their housing whose physical, social and economic costs have been underestimated. This is because the only housing they can afford is of poor quality, usually too small in relation to household size, lacking in basic services and often built on a dangerous site. The article also outlines different measures through which urban poverty can be reduced. These measures include not only increasing incomes and enhancing assets for low-income households, but also upholding their right to justice and legal protection and responding to their needs and priorities for adequate housing and basic services. The final section discusses the relative balance between action at national, city and community level, and the most appropriate form of intervention for any agency that seeks to support poverty reduction at a community level.

The evolving role of engineers: towards sustainable development of the built environment - Cruickshank - 2007 - Journal of International Development - Wiley Online Library

The evolving role of engineers: towards sustainable development of the built environment - Cruickshank - 2007 - Journal of International Development - Wiley Online Library: "The evolving role of engineers: towards sustainable development of the built environment"

Sustainable development requires consideration of the requirements of systems that interact in a complex way. Consideration of these systems, with regard to the provision of infrastructure for the built environment serving an increasingly urbanised world, requires engineers to embrace a range of additional skills beyond the engineering science they have traditionally relied upon to solve engineering problems. This will require changes to the way in which engineering education prepares students for professional practice. This paper draws on field research and recommends expanding the solution space open to engineers. To facilitate this broader decision-making requirement, it provides a framework to assist engineers in arriving at a suitable solution

ScienceDirect - Ecological Economics : Sustainable homeservices? Toward household services that enhance ecological, social and economic sustainability

ScienceDirect - Ecological Economics : Sustainable homeservices? Toward household services that enhance ecological, social and economic sustainability: "Sustainable homeservices? Toward household services that enhance ecological, social and economic sustainability"

The idea of services replacing products is increasingly offered as a solution to making the production and consumption patterns of the affluent consumers more sustainable. However, the discussion about ‘sustainable services’ or ‘sustainable product–service systems’ tends to emphasize the eco-efficiency perspective, rather than explicitly capture all sustainability aspects. Social or socioeconomic considerations are often forgotten or by-passed without scrutiny. This paper argues that there is the need for a concept of sustainable services in which the social sustainability aspect is also recognized with equal attention. Since a major part of private consumption occurs in the household context-living at home and moving to and from it—this paper will put forth the concept of sustainable homeservices and will suggest a way to assess sustainability of services directed to households. For assessing the sustainability of services directed to households, a set of indicators relating to the ecological, social and economic dimensions of sustainability is proposed. With the aim of giving an idea of how to assess homeservices in practical terms, the paper will also exemplify how one could operationalize these indicators on an ordinal rating scale. The conclusion is that it is possible to assess the sustainability of a homeservice in a relative fashion, using ‘no service’ or the ‘product alternative’ as the point of comparison.

Households alone have a limited capacity to influence their consumption choices, because other actors set the frame. For this reason, institutional arrangements for making services easily available to households are outlined. It appears that housing organizations have a central role in the alternative option for organizing the supply of service provision. They are involved in five of the seven alternative ways of supplying services that could be identified. The role of the housing organization can vary from direct supply to lighter forms, such as cooperative arrangements with external service providers, or resident involvement.

Keywords: Sustainable services; Households; Homeservices; Eco-efficient services

ScienceDirect - Renewable Energy : Urbanisation and its impact on building energy consumption and efficiency in China

ScienceDirect - Renewable Energy : Urbanisation and its impact on building energy consumption and efficiency in China: "Urbanisation and its impact on building energy consumption and efficiency in China"

The People's Republic of China and its 1.3 billion people have experienced a rapid economic growth in the past two decades. China's urbanisation ratio rose from around 20% in the early 1980s to 45% in 2007 [China Urban Research Committee. Green building. Beijing: Chinese Construction Industrial Publish House; 2008. ISBN 978-7-112-09925-2.]. The large volume and rapid speed of building construction rarely have been seen in global development and cause substantial pressure on resources and the environment. Government policy makers and building professionals, including architects, building engineers, project managers and property developers, should play an important role in enhancing the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of the building energy efficiency process in forming the sustainable urban development. This paper addresses the emerging issues relating to building energy consumption and building energy efficiency due to the fast urbanisation development in China.

Keywords: Urbanisation; Building energy efficiency; Sustainable urban development

ScienceDirect - Ecological Economics : Towards sustainable city policy: an economy-environment technology nexus

ScienceDirect - Ecological Economics : Towards sustainable city policy: an economy-environment technology nexus: "Towards sustainable city policy: an economy-environment technology nexus"

Environmental problems have become a worldwide concern for economists, as is witnessed by the development of many theories and policies aimed at driving the economy towards a ‘sustainableeconomy'. The problem becomes even greater if we discuss cities. As recognised in many studies, a high percentage of the world population lives in cities, where quality of life and environmental concerns undermine all advantages associated with agglomeration economies. The vast experience in terms of theoretical and empirical substance which has been built up around the theme of ‘sustainable economy' has only partially helped to generate a framework for an ‘urban sustainable development'. The city is in fact by definition an ‘artifact environment', where well-established concepts of ‘environmental economics' (such as natural capital stock, natural environment) can hardly be transferred and applied, in the way they are theoretically formulated. The first scope of the paper is to offer an analytical framework for ‘urban sustainable development' to present the main economic concepts that are hidden under this label. In particular, different ‘environments' co-exist in a city: the natural, the artifact and the social environment. Each of them generates positive and negative externalities for the city, since each of them represents ‘use advantages' and ‘use costs' for a city. If this is true, then it is a plausible assumption that the integration of these three ‘environments' has to be supported with specific intervention policies. The main aim of this paper is to highlight the possible intervention policies which may be developed to achieve a balanced ‘sustainable development' in terms of new policy principles that should govern the ‘sustainable city'.

Author Keywords: Urban sustainability; Public policies; Market interventions; Technology-oriented strategies

Index Terms: genotoxicity; chromosome damage; methyl bromide; hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase

ScienceDirect - Geoforum : Of questionable value: The role of practitioners in building sustainable cities

ScienceDirect - Geoforum : Of questionable value: The role of practitioners in building sustainable cities: "Of questionable value: The role of practitioners in building sustainable cities"

The reshaping of South African cities is being guided by policies aiming to build socially and environmentally just communities. Despite widespread commitment to this goal, there is little consensus on what it means and how it should and could translate into practice. The paper shows that despite the emphasis on environmental justice and building sustainable communities in policy, the institutional context for implementation (including expert driven and deliberative approaches) do not always deliver on this mandate. Consequently, policy outcomes do not reflect those of the communities and households it is meant to serve, raising challenging moral and ethical questions for institutions involved in environmental governance. This paper shows how the institutional context of environmental assessment combined with the role played by the values held by environmental practitioners charged with influencing decision-making result in the perpetuation of environmental injustices. The lack of a clearly defined profession and professional body, reflecting a diversity of values, debating, regulating, defining and defending a set of principles to guide decision-making in cities is identified as a possible reason for the lack of congruence between the values reflected in policy with those held by the communities these interventions are intended to serve. The resulting value added by sustainable cities interventions in the light of this mismatch is therefore questionable, raising challenges regarding international calls for local action as well as an increasing policy focus in South Africa on the local level as the agent of political and spatial transformation of cities.

Keywords: Environmental justice; Environmental assessment; Environmental practitioner; Decision-making; Values; South Africa

Urban Indicators for Managing Cities: Cities Data Book - ADB.org

Urban Indicators for Managing Cities: Cities Data Book - ADB.org: "Urban Indicators for Managing Cities: Cities Data Book"

Nowhere is the urban challenge more starkly evident than in Asia. Many cities lack data and information on urban conditions and trends, which has undermined their ability to understand and manage the complex forces of urban growth and change.

The 460-page Cities Data Book explores the theory, development and application of urban indicator systems for improved urban management and performance measurement, and presents the findings from a pilot exercise undertaken in 18 cites in the Asia and Pacific region. The book provides a detailed approach to applying the policy-based urban indicator system in other cities for improved urban management.

ScienceDirect - Ecological Economics : City management and urban environmental indicators

ScienceDirect - Ecological Economics : City management and urban environmental indicators: "SPECIAL SECTION: ECONOMICS OF URBAN SUSTAINABILITY
City management and urban environmental indicators"

Cities are complex and dynamic entities. They are also nodes in spatial economic, social and political geographical networks. They are focal points for many of the concerns that underlay current debates aboutsustainable development. The aim of this paper is to focus on the local environmental effects of urbanization and to consider ways in which they may be effectively treated within the confines of an isolated city context and more generally when urban areas are seen as part of a wider economic system. Particular attention is focused on information systems of all types and on feedback mechanisms (including automatic mechanisms) which help, in particular, the integration of economic and environmental considerations at the urban level. The underlying question being posed is that of deciding on the role that urban indicators (both economic and environmental) can play in assisting to improve the management of cities. The points made are general and conceptual rather than being of a quantitative and empirical nature. There is no effort to try and provide comment on the existing indicators which various urban actors use in their efforts to manage urban affairs.

Author Keywords: Urban development; City management; Feedback mechanism

ScienceDirect - Geoforum : ‘All my hopes and dreams are shattered’: Urbanization and migrancy in an imploding African economy – the case of Zimbabwe

ScienceDirect - Geoforum : ‘All my hopes and dreams are shattered’: Urbanization and migrancy in an imploding African economy – the case of Zimbabwe: "‘All my hopes and dreams are shattered’: Urbanizationand migrancy in an imploding African economy – the case of Zimbabwe"

During the 1990s, urban livelihoods in Zimbabwe began to suffer a series of economic stresses, which accelerated in 1997 and then accelerated again, with the inception of fast-track land reform, from 2000. This has reduced urban living standards significantly and devastated real urban income levels. After a discussion of the economic and political parameters of this period, this paper links these to empirical changes in the urban livelihoods and perceptions of urban living standards of recent in-migrants to Harare. This draws on a longitudinal database of four surveys of recent migrants to the city conducted in 1985, 1988, 1994 and 2001. Among a range of qualitative issues explored in these surveys has been the question of migrants’ future plans in relation to their intended length of stay in town. It is shown that migrants have been feeling increasingly negative or unsure about their urban experience since structural adjustment began in the early 1990s, and that these perceptions had greatly strengthened by 2001. By the last survey only a small minority felt they would remain permanently in town and most of the migrants from rural areas felt that their living standards in Harare were either worse than rural living standards, or no better. While Zimbabwe’s current political and economic crisis is exceptional, serious urban poverty is a feature across sub-Saharan African countries and it is argued that this has had a depressing effect on net rural–urban migration rates.

SpringerLink - Abstract

SpringerLink - Abstract: "An Alternative Measure: Chinese Urbanization"

Most bilateral aid donors have regarded rural development as the priority area for alleviating poverty and supporting economic development in developing countries. This article is directed to showing why this is a mistaken approach and to increasing invalidity. Urbanization and its associated problems will dominate public perceptions in the coming 30 years as both Africa and Asia make the transition to predominantly urban societies. The article also examines how far structural adjustment reforms, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, promise to change this perspective, and what separate problems they may throw up. Finally, new trends in aid are examined as they relate to the issues raised by urbanization.