scholarly journals The Role of Ethnic Retailing in Retrofitting Suburbia: Case Studies from Toronto, Canada

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhixi Cecilia Zhuang ◽  
Amanda Xiaoxuan Chen
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Urban Form ◽  
Shopping Malls ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Suburban Areas ◽  
Immigrant Settlement ◽  
Shopping Centres ◽  
Key Players ◽  
Suburban Landscape

Today’s immigrants to Canada are increasingly and directly settling into suburban areas of major cities; a trend that has resulted in new retail opportunities: suburban ethnic shopping centres are a growing phenomenon in areas with major immigrant settlement. This paper discusses the development and retrofitting processes of three suburban Chinese shopping malls in the Toronto area. The paper explores how these malls successfully regenerated areas once affected by business decline and how they can act as a catalyst to develop a new urban form that makes the suburban landscape less uniform and more sustainable. Various perspectives from key players involved in ethnic retail activities and developments were collected, including surveys with entrepreneurs and shoppers, and semi-structured interviews with city councillors, city planners, developers, and an architect. The paper suggests that municipalities could invest in established ethnic retail places as an innovative means of “retrofitting suburbia".

scholarly journals The Role of Ethnic Retailing in Retrofitting Suburbia: Case Studies from Toronto, Canada

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhixi Cecilia Zhuang ◽  
Amanda Xiaoxuan Chen
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Urban Form ◽  
Shopping Malls ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Suburban Areas ◽  
Immigrant Settlement ◽  
Shopping Centres ◽  
Key Players ◽  
Suburban Landscape

Today’s immigrants to Canada are increasingly and directly settling into suburban areas of major cities; a trend that has resulted in new retail opportunities: suburban ethnic shopping centres are a growing phenomenon in areas with major immigrant settlement. This paper discusses the development and retrofitting processes of three suburban Chinese shopping malls in the Toronto area. The paper explores how these malls successfully regenerated areas once affected by business decline and how they can act as a catalyst to develop a new urban form that makes the suburban landscape less uniform and more sustainable. Various perspectives from key players involved in ethnic retail activities and developments were collected, including surveys with entrepreneurs and shoppers, and semi-structured interviews with city councillors, city planners, developers, and an architect. The paper suggests that municipalities could invest in established ethnic retail places as an innovative means of “retrofitting suburbia".

scholarly journals The Role of Cohousing In Building Sustainable Communities: Case studies from the UK

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (13) ◽  
pp. 187-197
Author(s):  
Jingjing Wang ◽  
Karim Hadjri
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Publishing House ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Sustainable Communities ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Sustainable Living ◽  
International Publishing ◽  
The Uk

This paper explored the role of cohousing models in the UK and discussed the benefits and limitations of cohousing models by exploring residents’ motivation and daily living. Through case studies in the UK, semi-structured interviews were carried out to establish the environmental and social sustainability of cohousing and to understand residents thinking and behaviour. This study found that cohousing could benefit various age groups, and promote residents’ thinking and behaviour change towards sustainable living. The findings of this research will establish a better understanding of UK cohousing and highlight the potentials and possibilities of cohousing communities.Keywords: sustainable communities, cohousing, environmental sustainability, social sustainability.eISSN 2398-4279 © 2018. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ajqol.v3i13.176

Annual hours, workplace partnership and mutual gains: exploring the links

2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 248-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorraine Ryan ◽  
Joseph Wallace
Keyword(s):  
Collective Bargaining ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Trade Union ◽  
Trade Unions ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Secondary Material ◽  
The Creation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the capacity of annual hours (AH) to deliver gains to both workers and management and assesses the role of workplace partnership in three Irish companies that have adopted AH. Design/methodology/approach – Three case studies are compared and contrasted. The case studies were compiled through semi-structured interviews with management and trade union representatives, a survey of 205 workers and secondary material. Findings – The authors find that workplace partnership is not a prerequisite for achieving mutual gains where AH are concerned. The research draws attention to the importance of a mechanism for the creation of gains, in these cases, AH and that such gains can arise from different processes. Mutual gains output is not confined to workplace partnership but can arise from collective bargaining. Originality/value – The paper highlights the importance of comparing case studies so that the role of factors often seen as causal to mutual gains in exemplar cases can be critically evaluated. It also utilises directly workers’ opinions on AH and workplace partnership where typically, representative views of management and trade unions dominate the literature on these issues.

scholarly journals The role of co-housing in building sustainable communities：Case studies from the UK

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingjing Wang ◽  
Karim Hadjri ◽  
Junjie Huang
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Behaviour Change ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Social Sustainability ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
New Members ◽  
Sustainable Living ◽  
The Uk

This paper explored the role of cohousing model in the UK and discussed the benefits and limitations of cohousing model by exploring cohousing residents’ motivation and daily living. Through case studies in the UK, semi-structured interviews were carried out to establish the environmental and social sustainability in cohousing and understand residents thinking and behaviour. This study found that cohousing can benefit various age groups, and promote residents’ thinking and behaviour change towards sustainable living. The study also found that the financial limitation and new members recruitment are the top two difficulties in cohousing development. The findings of this research will establish a better understanding of UK cohousing and highlight the potentials and possibilities of cohousing communities.

scholarly journals The Role of Localized Agri-Food Systems in the Provision of Environmental and Social Benefits in Peripheral Areas: Evidence from Two Case Studies in Italy

Agriculture ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Mantino ◽  
Francesco Vanni
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Social Benefits ◽  
New Governance ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Institutional Settings ◽  
Local Actors ◽  
Peripheral Areas ◽  
New Institutions

The article focuses on the role of Localized Agri-food Systems (LAFS) in the provision of environmental and social benefits (ESBs) in peripheral areas, by comparing two case studies in Italy: bergamot production in Grecanic area (Calabria region) and a basket of local products in Garfagnana area (Tuscany region). On the basis of the evidence collected through semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, the paper shows the different mechanisms by which LAFS may stimulate the provision of ESBs in such areas. In both case studies the provision of ESBs was the result of the interplay among three different types of drivers: markets factors, the set of policies implemented in the specific territorial context and collective actions performed by local actors to promote new governance patterns and new institutions. The article shows that in peripheral areas LAFS, alongside food production, have a strong potential in delivering a broad range of environmental and social benefits, which are highly valued by local communities and consumers. However, this potential varies to large extent according to the socio-economic and institutional settings, as well as on the type of interactions of market drivers with public policies and collective action.

The role of social capital in the collective-led development of urbanising villages in China: The case of Shenzhen

Urban Studies ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 004209802199335
Author(s):  
De Tong ◽  
Yaying Wu ◽  
Ian MacLachlan ◽  
Jieming Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Form ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Community Services ◽  
Rural Settlements ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Rural Villages

The ‘urbanising village’ is a uniquely Chinese urban form that emerged during the period of rapid urbanisation in the reform era. The absence of state governance in rural areas relegates considerable decision-making power to village collectives, and the social capital inherited from traditional rural villages may remain in place after villages are urbanised. To explore the role of social capital and its mobilisation in solving the land use challenges posed by the urbanisation of rural settlements, we analysed the growth processes of Huanggang village as a typical example of a ‘collective-led’ self-organised urbanising village in Shenzhen. Qualitative analysis using semi-structured interviews and abundant secondary data provides credible evidence that defining property rights through land titling is not the only way to achieve orderly development, safe and sanitary living conditions and efficient land use in informal settlements. Social capital, measured by networks, norms and trust passed down among long-term acquaintances in rural villages, plays an important role in the development of communities. Village collectives can unite villagers and mobilise their social, cultural and material capital to compensate for the absence of formal governance institutions and government-provided community services. The implications of these findings suggest a new strategic pathway for managing urbanising villages in China and informal settlements in other developing countries.

scholarly journals Network orchestration: new role of business incubators?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luiz Guilherme Rodrigues Antunes ◽  
Cleber Carvalho de Castro ◽  
Andrea Ap da Costa Mineiro
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Network Models ◽  
Business Networks ◽  
Business Incubators ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Network Orchestration

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the performance of incubators in the stages of formation and development of incubated business networks, especially in bottom-up and top-down network models. Design/methodology/approach The research is defined as qualitative and descriptive, with the application of multiple case studies, in which two networks of incubated businesses were investigated, one being top-down and the other bottom-up, which emerged within the incubation process of two business incubators (CIETEC and INCIT). To make the study operational, 11 semi-structured interviews were carried out and the thematic analysis of content was developed. Findings The results pointed out that in the top-down network the incubator performs a new assignment, the network orchestration, which corresponds to the actions of formation, coordination and governance of the group. In the bottom-up network, it was found that the role of the incubator was to expand the value offers usually practiced. Research limitations/implications As a limitation of the research, the very limitation of case studies is pointed out that is they do not allow for generalizations. Practical implications The research contributes to reflections on the effectiveness of the incubator and sheds light on the complementarity of networks in incubation processes, providing gains for incubators, incubated businesses and society. Originality/value The originality of this document is the new role of the incubator, which is orchestration, and its categorization. The results allow us to understand the effects of providing networks and relationships for incubated businesses. In addition, this study broadens the focus of traditional analyses of the incubator–incubated duo to consider the incubator–network–incubated trio.

scholarly journals The Role of Co-housing in Building Sustainable Communities: Case studies from the UK

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
pp. 255
Author(s):  
Jingjing Wang ◽  
Karim Hadjri
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Social Sustainability ◽  
Sustainable Communities ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
New Members ◽  
Sustainable Living ◽  
The Uk

This paper explored the role of cohousing model in the UK and discussed the benefits and limitations of cohousing model by exploring cohousing residents’ motivation and daily living. Through case studies in the UK, semi-structured interviews were carried out to establish the environmental and social sustainability in cohousing and understand residents thinking and behaviour. This study found that cohousing can benefit various age groups, and promote residents’ thinking and behaviour change towards sustainable living. The study also found that the financial limitation and new members recruitment are the top two difficulties in cohousing development. The findings of this research will establish a better understanding of UK cohousing and highlight the potentials and possibilities of cohousing communities.

scholarly journals Community decision-making and privatised spaces: A case study of suburban shopping malls in the Wellington Region

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Chantal Mawer
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Urban Form ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Private Ownership ◽  
Shopping Malls ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Spaces ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Community Space ◽  
Community Decision

<p>Shopping malls are a widely disparaged urban form, particularly when these have been built in favour of traditional public spaces. Critiques have ranged from their aesthetic to the impact they have on civic life and broader democracy. However, despite being in private ownership, they have been found to play crucial community functions. This is particularly true in suburban communities which often lack alternative forms of community infrastructure. Concurrently, across the globe, a number of malls are in decline and some communities are losing the only form of community space available to them. Moreover, they are often unable to contribute to decision-making regarding these spaces due to their private ownership.   This thesis examines the role that suburban shopping malls, in Aotearoa New Zealand can, and do play as community spaces. It assesses decision-making mechanisms, questioning how communities can participate in the development of what they conceive of as their community spaces. Two cases of declining malls in the Wellington Region– the Johnsonville Shopping Centre and the Wainuiomata Mall were selected and 12 semi-structured interviews and three focus groups were conducted.   This research found that these malls played an important role as spaces where communities were built and members socially engaged in often ad-hoc, but significant ways. However, due to the private nature of these spaces, community members often felt powerless and unable to participate in decisions relating to this space. This thesis demonstrates the ways in which the legal binary of public and private fails to encapsulate the nature of modern spaces, which in reality, typically exist as a socially constructed hybrid of both. It challenges the existing framework of property rights based on this binary, and subsequent wider community exclusion from decision-making. In response, this thesis offers policy recommendations around community decision-making in order to stimulate vital suburban community space into the future.</p>

scholarly journals Community decision-making and privatised spaces: A case study of suburban shopping malls in the Wellington Region

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Chantal Mawer
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Urban Form ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Private Ownership ◽  
Shopping Malls ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Spaces ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Community Space ◽  
Community Decision

<p>Shopping malls are a widely disparaged urban form, particularly when these have been built in favour of traditional public spaces. Critiques have ranged from their aesthetic to the impact they have on civic life and broader democracy. However, despite being in private ownership, they have been found to play crucial community functions. This is particularly true in suburban communities which often lack alternative forms of community infrastructure. Concurrently, across the globe, a number of malls are in decline and some communities are losing the only form of community space available to them. Moreover, they are often unable to contribute to decision-making regarding these spaces due to their private ownership.   This thesis examines the role that suburban shopping malls, in Aotearoa New Zealand can, and do play as community spaces. It assesses decision-making mechanisms, questioning how communities can participate in the development of what they conceive of as their community spaces. Two cases of declining malls in the Wellington Region– the Johnsonville Shopping Centre and the Wainuiomata Mall were selected and 12 semi-structured interviews and three focus groups were conducted.   This research found that these malls played an important role as spaces where communities were built and members socially engaged in often ad-hoc, but significant ways. However, due to the private nature of these spaces, community members often felt powerless and unable to participate in decisions relating to this space. This thesis demonstrates the ways in which the legal binary of public and private fails to encapsulate the nature of modern spaces, which in reality, typically exist as a socially constructed hybrid of both. It challenges the existing framework of property rights based on this binary, and subsequent wider community exclusion from decision-making. In response, this thesis offers policy recommendations around community decision-making in order to stimulate vital suburban community space into the future.</p>

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