Geographic Information Systems: A Critical Look at the Commercialization of Public Information

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 88-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Safiya Umoja Noble
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Geographic Information Systems ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Public Information ◽  
Geographic Information ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Software Projects ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Huge Data

This paper is a political economic critique and exploration of the ways that private-sector companies in the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) industry have emerged and consolidated themselves. This includes a discussion about buying, analyzing and selling spatial data mined from the Internet and other public resources, and how this is packaged and sold to other corporations for profit. I detail GIS research and development projects and the activities that are fueling growth. One of the fastest growing sectors of the GIS business is data mining and information processing, where companies are able to capitalize on the flow of information through proprietary systems or public networks like the Internet, and as such, are accumulating great wealth. GIS software projects are often the outgrowth of direct political and economic policy and funding, and industry giants are afforded greater access to purchasing huge data sets and labor to analyze and re-sell it. Public adoption and usage of GIS tools via the Internet is creating competitive tensions within the GIS industry and producing complex new partnerships. What is most critical to explore at this moment are the details of the industry, who it serves, and in whose interest. An understanding of the GIS terrain will better equip the public in making informed decisions about how state policies and consumer practices are contributing to, or disrupting, these activities.

Untangling origin-destination flows in geographic information systems

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 153-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita Graser ◽  
Johanna Schmidt ◽  
Florian Roth ◽  
Norbert Brändle
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Geographic Information System ◽  
Geographic Information Systems ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Geographic Information ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Flow Maps ◽  
Local Strength ◽  
Edge Bundling

Origin–destination flow maps are a popular option to visualize connections between different spatial locations, where specific routes between the origin and destination are unknown or irrelevant. Visualizing origin–destination flows is challenging mainly due to visual clutter which appears quickly as data sets grow. Clutter reduction techniques are intensively explored in the information visualization and cartography domains. However, current automatic techniques for origin–destination flow visualization, such as edge bundling, are not available in geographic information systems which are widely used to visualize spatial data, such as origin–destination flows. In this article, we explore the applicability of edge bundling to spatial data sets and necessary adaptations under the constraints inherent to platform-independent geographic information system scripting environments. We propose (1) a new clustering technique for origin–destination flows that provides within-cluster consistency to speed up computations, (2) an edge bundling approach based on force-directed edge bundling employing matrix computations, (3) a new technique to determine the local strength of a bundle leveraging spatial indexes, and (4) a geographic information system–based technique to spatially offset bundles describing different flow directions. Finally, we evaluate our method by applying it to origin–destination flow data sets with a wide variety of different data characteristics.

Developing geographic information systems platforms for multijurisdictional transportation analyses: framework and techniques for spatial data sharing

2003 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 807-818 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Han ◽  
Scott Minty ◽  
Alan Clayton
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Geographic Information Systems ◽  
Data Sharing ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Geographic Information ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Data Interoperability ◽  
Urban And Rural Areas ◽  
Integration Data

Geographic information systems (GISs) have been presented as a powerful analysing tool for civil engineers to help their decision-making processes. Building GIS platforms for transportation analysis involving multiple jurisdictions has been challenging, however, because of the complexity and difficulty associated with conducting data sharing and ensuring spatial data interoperability among GISs for transportation (GIS-T) data sets. In the context of western Canadian urban and rural areas, this paper investigates the issues related to GIS-T data sharing, establishes a conceptual framework, develops techniques supporting the framework by solving recurring data-sharing problems, and constructs a number of GIS-T platforms facilitating comprehensive multijurisdictional transportation analyses. In addition, based on the knowledge gained through solving real-world problems, the authors propose an open GIS-T platform consisting of a series of customized base maps, each being tailored to suit the needs of individual application and, as a whole, linked together by interoperability to better support transportation applications.Key words: transportation engineering analysis, GIS, GIS-T, spatial data, interoperability, integration, data sharing.

Geographic Information Systems as Decision Tools

2005 ◽  
pp. 1274-1277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin D. Crossland
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Geographic Information Systems ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Large Data ◽  
Geographic Information Science ◽  
Geographic Information ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Decision Tools ◽  
University Consortium

Geographic information systems (GISs) as a technology have been studied and reported extensively and, not unexpectedly, in the field of geography. The various ways of capturing spatial data, arranging attribute data into appropriate database structures, and making the resulting large data sets efficient to store and query have been extensively researched and reported (Densham, 1991). However, the geographic research community has only recently noted the need to study how GISs are used as decision tools, especially with regard to how such decision making might be related to a decision maker’s cognitive style (Mennecke, Crossland, et al., 2000). As an example, the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science called for research examining how geographic knowledge is acquired through different media and by users with different levels of experience and training (University Consortium for Geographic Information Science, 1996).

Politics of Scale and Networks of Association in Public Participation GIS

2007 ◽  
Vol 39 (8) ◽  
pp. 1961-1980 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rina Ghose
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Geographic Information Systems ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Multiple Scales ◽  
Community Organizations ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Geographic Information ◽  
Politics Of Scale

The public participation geographic information systems (PPGIS) research agenda has explored the issue of equitable access and use of geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial data among traditionally marginalized citizens, in order to facilitate effective citizen participation in inner-city revitalization activities. However, prior research indicates that PPGIS is a complex process, with uneven outcomes. The author contends that such unevenness can be explained by use of a new theoretical framework drawn from the literature of politics of scale and networks. The author contends that the PPGIS process occurs in ‘spaces of dependence’, containing localized social relations and place-specific conditions. The politics of securing this space leads to the creation of ‘spaces of engagement’ at multiple scales. Within these spaces, networks of association evolve to connect multiple actors from public and private sectors with community organizations. Such networks can contain structural inequities, hierarchical dominance, and fluctuating resources. But these networks also transcend political boundaries and are dynamic and flexible, enabling individuals to manipulate and modify them. In trying to control the revitalization agendas and the material resources required, the actors and community organizations construct politics of scale. For some community organizations, such scalar politics and creative alliances with critical actors allow them to navigate territorially scaled networks of power skillfully in order to gain an effective voice in decisionmaking activities. But other community organizations lag behind, and are not able to form relationships in order to secure their urban space. By the use of new empirical data, coupled with a new theoretical framework, the author aims to contribute both to greater theorization and to better understanding of the uneven and contradictory nature of PPGIS processes.

scholarly journals Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Urban Planning

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 85
Author(s):  
Sonila Xhafa ◽  
Albana Kosovrasti
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Geographic Information Systems ◽  
Urban Planning ◽  
Urban Space ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Geographic Information ◽  
Social Infrastructure ◽  
Urban Centers

Geographic information systems can be defined as a intelligent tool, to which it relates techniques for the implementation of processes such as the introduction, recording, storage, handling, processing and generation of spatial data. Use of GIS in urban planning helps and guides planners for an orderly development of settlements and infrastructure facilities within and outside urban areas. Continued growth of the population in urban centers generates the need for expansion of urban space, for its planning in terms of physical and social infrastructures in the service of the community, based on the principles of sustainable development. In addition urbanization is accompanied with numerous structural transformations and functional cities, which should be evaluated in spatial context, to be managed and planned according to the principles of sustainable development. Urban planning connects directly with land use and design of the urban environment, including physical and social infrastructure in service of the urban community, constituting a challenge to global levels. Use of GIS in this field is a different approach regarding the space, its development and design, analysis and modeling of various processes occurring in it, as well as interconnections between these processes or developments in space.

scholarly journals Simple rules for an efficient use of Geographic Information Systems in molecular ecology

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Leempoel ◽  
Solange Duruz ◽  
Estelle Rochat ◽  
Ivo Widmer ◽  
Pablo Orozco-terWengel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Geographic Information Systems ◽  
Open Source ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Molecular Ecology ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Geographic Information ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Essential Information ◽  
Open Source Gis

AbstractGeographic Information Systems (GIS) are becoming increasingly popular in the context of molecular ecology and conservation biology thanks to their display options efficiency, flexibility and management of geodata. Indeed, spatial data for wildlife and livestock species is becoming a trend with many researchers publishing genomic data that is specifically suitable for landscape studies. GIS uniquely reveal the possibility to overlay genetic information with environmental data and, as such, allow us to locate and analyze genetic boundaries of various plant and animal species or to study gene-environment associations (GEA). This means that, using GIS, we can potentially identify the genetic bases of species adaptation to particular geographic conditions or to climate change. However, many biologists are not familiar with the use of GIS and underlying concepts and thus experience difficulties in finding relevant information and instructions on how to use them. In this paper, we illustrate the power of free and open source GIS approaches and provide essential information for their successful application in molecular ecology. First, we introduce key concepts related to GIS than are too often overlooked in the literature, for example coordinate systems, GPS accuracy and scale. We then provide an overview of the most employed open-source GIS-related software, file formats and refer to major environmental databases. We also reconsider sampling strategies as high costs of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) data currently diminish the number of samples that can be sequenced per location. Thereafter, we detail methods of data exploration and spatial statistics suited for the analysis of large genetic datasets. Finally, we provide suggestions to properly edit maps and to make them as comprehensive as possible, either manually or trough programming languages.

Urban Environmental Applications of GIScience

2013 ◽  
pp. 602-620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Buket Ayşegul Ozbakir
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Geographic Information Systems ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Geographic Information ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Geographical Data ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Information Research ◽  
Computer Based

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are computer-based systems used to store and manipulate geographical data, and perform spatial analysis. These systems serve to reveal the patterns, relationships, and anomalies, or sometimes invisible characteristics of the geographical data in various applications. While the term “GIS” indicates an object or tool, GIScience, the acronym for Geographic Information Science, covers a broader context of methodologies behind spatial data analysis. Among different application areas of GIS, “environmental monitoring and modeling” plays a significant role in the development of the very first GIS in the world-The Canada Geographic Information Systems (CGIS) in the mid-1960s. After almost 40 years of history, significant changes and challenges took place in the geographic information research agenda. This chapter will point out some of the vital tools and methods used in GIScience (including GIS, remote sensing and 3D modeling) to grasp issues of our urban environments. With recent technological advances that facilitate our understanding of the environment; it is more evident that the vision of more “livable” cities is not too far but not easy as well.

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