scholarly journals Global Contraction and Local Strengthening of Firms’ Supply and Sales Logistics Networks in the Context of COVID-19: Evidence from the Development Zones in Weifang, China

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 477
Author(s):  
Yiran Yan ◽  
Xingping Wang

The stagnation of multinational and cross-regional goods circulation has created significant disruptions to manufacturing supply chains due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. To explore the impact of COVID-19 on the circulation of manufacturing industry products at different geographical scales, we drew upon a case study of development zones in the city of Weifang in China to analyze the characteristics of firms’ logistics networks in these development zones, and how these characteristics have changed since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The data used in this study were collected from fieldwork conducted between 26 August 2020 and 15 October 2020, and included the supply originations of firms’ manufacturing sources and the sales destinations of their goods. We chose the two-mode network analysis method as our study methodology, which separates the logistics networks into supply networks and sales networks. The results show the following: First, the overall structure of firms’ logistics networks in Weifang’s development zones is characterized by localization. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the local network links have further strengthened, whereas the global links have seriously declined. Moreover, the average path length of both the supply and sales logistics networks has slightly decreased, indicating the increased connectivity of the logistics networks. Second, in terms of the network node centrality, the core nodes of the supply logistics networks are the development zones and the city in which the firms are located, whereas the core nodes of the sales logistics networks are the core companies in the development zones. However, since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the centrality of supply originations and sales destinations at the local scale has increased, whereas the centrality of supply originations and sales destinations at the global scale has decreased significantly. Third, the influencing factors of such changes include controlling personnel and goods circulation based on national boundaries and administrative boundaries, forcing the logistics networks in the development zones to shrink to the local scale. Moreover, there are differences in the scope of spatial contraction between supply logistics networks and the sales logistics networks.

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evinç Doğan ◽  
Ibrahim Sirkeci

This study examines the ways in which the city image of Istanbul is re-created through the mega-events within the context of the European Capital of Culture (ECoC) 2010. Istanbul “took the stage” as one of the three ECoC cities (Essen for the Ruhr in Germany and Pécs in Hungary), where the urban spaces were projected as the theatre décor while residents and visitors became the spectators of the events. Organisers and agents of the ECoC 2010 seemed to rebrand Istanbul as a “world city” rather than a “European capital”. With a series of transnational connotations, this can be considered as part of an attempt to turn Istanbul to a global city. In this study we examine posters used during the ECoC 2010 to see whether this was evident in the promoted images of Istanbul. The research employs a hermeneutic approach in which representations, signs and language are the means of symbolic meaning, which is analysed through qualitative methods for the visual data (Visual Analysis Methods), namely Semiotics and Discourse Analysis. The analysed research material comes from a sample of posters released during the ECoC 2010 to promote 549 events throughout the year. Using stratified random sampling we have drawn 28 posters (5% of the total) reflecting the thematic groups of events in the ECoC 2010. Particular attention is also paid to the reflexivity of the researchers and researchers’ embeddedness to the object of research. The symbolic production and visual representation are therefore investigated firstly through the authoritative and historically constituted discourses in the making of Istanbul image and secondly through the orders of cultural consumption and mediatisation of culture through spectacular events. Hence enforcing a transnationalisation of the image of the city where the image appears to be almost stateless transcending the national boundaries. Findings and methodology used in this study can be useful in understanding similar cases and further research into the processes of city and place branding and image relationships. 


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 128-134
Author(s):  
L. Gasimova

This article presents the results of studies the soils of urban parks, gardens, roadside zones in the core of the agglomeration of Baku. The urban soils were studied as indicators of the ecological status of the city of Baku. The impact of soil condition on the green areas in seven districts of Baku has been evaluated.


2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 9975-9996 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Cassiani ◽  
A. Stohl ◽  
S. Eckhardt

Abstract. Megacities are extreme examples of the continuously growing urbanization of the human population that pose (new) challenges to the environment and human health at a local scale. However, because of their size megacities also have larger-scale effects, and more research is needed to quantify their regional- and global-scale impacts. We performed a study of the characteristics of pollution plumes dispersing from a group of 36 of the world's megacities using the Lagrangian particle model FLEXPART and focusing on black carbon (BC) emissions during the years 2003–2005. BC was selected since it is representative of combustion-related emissions and has a significant role as a short-lived climate forcer. Based on the BC emissions two artificial tracers were modeled: a purely passive tracer and one subject to wet and dry deposition more closely resembling the behavior of a true aerosol. These tracers allowed us to investigate the role of deposition processes in determining the impact of megacities' pollutant plumes. The particles composing the plumes have been sampled in space and time. The time sampling allowed us to investigate the evolution of the plume from its release up to 48 days after emission and to generalize our results for any substance decaying with a timescale sufficiently shorter than the time window of 48 days. The physical characteristics of the time-averaged plume have been investigated, and this showed that, although local conditions are important, overall a city's latitude is the main factor influencing both the local and the regional-to-global dispersion of its pollution. We also repeated the calculations of some of the regional-pollution-potential metrics previously proposed by Lawrence et al. (2007), thus extending their results to a depositing scalar and retaining the evolution in time for all the plumes. Our results agreed well with their previous results despite being obtained using a totally different modeling framework. For the environmental impact on a global scale we focused on the export of mass from the megacities to the sensitive polar regions. We found that the sole city of Saint Petersburg contributes more to the lower-troposphere pollution and deposition in the Arctic than the whole ensemble of Asian megacities. In general this study showed that the pollution of urban origin in the lower troposphere of the Arctic is mainly generated by northern European sources. We also found that the deposition of the modeled artificial BC aerosol in the Antarctic due to megacities is comparable to the emissions of BC generated by local shipping activities. Finally multiplying population and ground level concentration maps, we found that the exposure of human population to megacity pollution occurs mainly inside the city boundaries, and this is especially true if deposition is accounted for. However, some exceptions exist (Beijing, Tianjin, Karachi) where the impact on population outside the city boundary is larger than that inside the city boundary.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Frame ◽  
Judith Lawrence ◽  
AG Ausseil ◽  
A Reisinger ◽  
A Daigneault

© 2018 The Authors Socio-economic scenarios enable us to understand the extent to which global-, national- and local-scale societal developments can influence the nature and severity of climate change risks and response options. Shared socio-economic pathways (SSPs) enable a systematic exploration of the challenges to adaptation and mitigation that alternative futures entail. However, SSPs are primarily defined for the global scale. If countries are to test their adaptation and mitigation options for robustness across plausible future socio-economic conditions, then SSPs require country-relevant detail to understand climate change risks at the national and local scales. New Zealand is used to illustrate how nationally relevant socio-economic scenarios, nested within SSPs can be developed to inform national- and local-scale studies of climate change impacts and their implications. Shared policy assumptions were developed, involving a mix of climate-specific and non-climate-specific policies, to demonstrate how international links and global-scale developments are critical locally—local choices may accelerate, reduce or even negate the impact of global trends for extended periods. The typology was then ‘tested’ by applying it in a local context. The research challenges observed in developing credible, salient and legitimate national-scale socio-economic scenarios include issues in developing scenarios across a multidisciplinary team. Finally, recommendations for adapting shared climate policy assumptions to produce national and local scenarios, and for assessing the feasibility and effectiveness of climate change adaptation options are presented. These include the need for: guidelines to embed national scenarios in global frameworks; a limit the number of plausible futures; inter-operability of models; an ability to work towards effective multi-disciplinary teams and integrative research; and the opportunity to involve participatory processes where feasible.


2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 26351-26400
Author(s):  
M. Cassiani ◽  
A. Stohl ◽  
S. Eckhardt

Abstract. Megacities are extreme examples of the continuously growing urbanization of human population that pose (new) challenges to the environment and human health at a local scale. However, because of their size megacities also have larger-scale effects and more research is needed to quantify their regional and global scale impacts. We performed a study of the characteristics of plumes dispersing from a group of thirty-six of world's megacities using the Lagrangian particle model FLEXPART and focusing on black carbon (BC) emissions during the years 2003–2005. BC was selected since it is representative of combustion-related emissions and it has a significant role as a short-lived climate forcer. Based on the BC emissions two tracers were modeled; a purely passive tracer and one subject to wet and dry deposition. These tracers allowed us to investigate the role of deposition processes in determining the impact of megacities' pollutant plumes. The particles composing the plumes have been sampled in space and time. The time sampling allowed us to investigate the evolution of the plume from its release up to 48 days after emission and to generalize our results for any substance decaying with a time scale sufficiently shorter than the time window of 48 days. The physical characteristics of the time averaged plume have been investigated and this showed that although local conditions are important, overall the latitude of the city is the main factor influencing both the local and the regional-to-global dispersion of the megacities' plumes. We also repeated the calculations of some of the regional-pollution-potential metrics previously proposed by Lawrence et al. (2007), thus extending their results to a depositing scalar and retaining the evolution in time for all the plumes. Noteworthy our results agreed well with the previous results despite being obtained using a totally different modeling framework. For the environmental impact on a global scale we focused on the export of mass from the megacities to the sensitive polar regions. We found that the sole city of Saint Petersburg contributes more to the lower troposphere pollution and deposition in the Arctic than the whole ensemble of Asian megacities. In general this study showed that the pollution of urban origin in the lower troposphere of the Arctic is mainly generated by northern European sources. We also found that the deposition of BC in the Antarctic due to megacities is comparable to the emissions generated by local shipping activities. Finally multiplying population and ground level concentration maps, we found that the exposure of human population to megacities pollution occurs mainly inside the city boundaries and this is especially true if deposition is accounted for. However, some exceptions exist (Beijing, Tianjin, Karachi) where the impact on population outside city boundary is larger than that inside city boundary.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Frame ◽  
Judith Lawrence ◽  
AG Ausseil ◽  
A Reisinger ◽  
A Daigneault

© 2018 The Authors Socio-economic scenarios enable us to understand the extent to which global-, national- and local-scale societal developments can influence the nature and severity of climate change risks and response options. Shared socio-economic pathways (SSPs) enable a systematic exploration of the challenges to adaptation and mitigation that alternative futures entail. However, SSPs are primarily defined for the global scale. If countries are to test their adaptation and mitigation options for robustness across plausible future socio-economic conditions, then SSPs require country-relevant detail to understand climate change risks at the national and local scales. New Zealand is used to illustrate how nationally relevant socio-economic scenarios, nested within SSPs can be developed to inform national- and local-scale studies of climate change impacts and their implications. Shared policy assumptions were developed, involving a mix of climate-specific and non-climate-specific policies, to demonstrate how international links and global-scale developments are critical locally—local choices may accelerate, reduce or even negate the impact of global trends for extended periods. The typology was then ‘tested’ by applying it in a local context. The research challenges observed in developing credible, salient and legitimate national-scale socio-economic scenarios include issues in developing scenarios across a multidisciplinary team. Finally, recommendations for adapting shared climate policy assumptions to produce national and local scenarios, and for assessing the feasibility and effectiveness of climate change adaptation options are presented. These include the need for: guidelines to embed national scenarios in global frameworks; a limit the number of plausible futures; inter-operability of models; an ability to work towards effective multi-disciplinary teams and integrative research; and the opportunity to involve participatory processes where feasible.


Author(s):  
Smita Singh ◽  
Eric D. Olson

Des Moines, Iowa, hosts a variety of diverse events and festivals, reaping quite an event portfolio. A balanced portfolio of events is shaped by long term strategy: “a full portfolio will consist of various types of events, for different target markets, held in different places, and at different times of the year, in pursuit of multiple goals” (Getz, 2013, p. 23). Diversified and multiple events can bring more profits to the event organizers and the stakeholders by identifying overall risk-reward characteristics and minimizing the risk of not attracting the target audiences (Ziakas, 2014). Portfolio management of events also involves multiple stakeholders with distinct needs, priorities, and expectations (Reid, 2011). Thus, stakeholder theory is also considered a strategic tool within the events sector (Niekerk & Getz, 2019) which emphasizes the engagements between the events or the event portfolio and its stakeholders, hence putting the event at the core of the evaluation. This chapter utilizes the festival and event sector in Des Moines, Iowa as a case study to highlight the challenges of recovery and response to the COVID-19 pandemic and examines how Des Moines’s portfolio management of festivals and events will position the city for a strong recovery in the festival and event sector. This chapter is organized as follows. First, we highlight key festivals and events in Des Moines. Next, we discuss how festivals and events in Des Moines have been responding to the impact of COVD-19. We then present four propositions, based on stakeholder interviews, how Des Moines can mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on its event portfolio.


2017 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 29-34
Author(s):  
Xiao Zhang ◽  
Jianglong Zhang

In recent years, the conflict between migrant workers and urban social development has become increasingly serious, which has seriously affected the development of the city. Based on this, taking the urban integration of migrant workers as the core, starting from social capital, it was proposed that housing space, employment and public service were the mian reasons for the difficulty of migrant workers' urban integration. Taking the spatial planning of Shenzhen as an example, the spatial distribution of migrant workers in Shenzhen, the impact of three times urban plannings on the agglomeration of farmers, as well as the planning of affordable housing and its existing problems were studied. The space for migrant workers to integrate into cities was constructed. Through the construction of urbanization, urban and rural development can be integrated. This study has a certain theoretical guiding significance for the integration of migrant workers and urban planning, and can indirectly promote the rapid development of the city..


2013 ◽  
Vol 45 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 149-167
Author(s):  
Benita Heiskanen

During the years 2008-2012, the El Paso, Texas-Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua border region between the United States and Mexico saw a wave of violence that occurred as a result of the so-called “drug war” between the Juárez and Sinaloa drug cartels. As the criminal organizations began recruiting local gangs for their enforcement strategies, the violence soon spiraled beyond the context of the drug trafficking industry, generating mayhem and social decay throughout Ciudad Juárez. In four years, the death toll in the city amounted to 10,882, with 3,622 bodies in 2010. This article discusses the impact of the violence in the region as experienced by border residents and in relation to policy responses by the U.S. and Mexican governments. Drawing on fieldwork and interviews conducted in January-May 2010 with members of the border community, it focuses on the interviewees’ experiences in 2010. The discussion of violence is contextualized as a global crisis, with ramifications upon urgent issues of citizenship and political and human rights across national boundaries.


2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 112-120
Author(s):  
E. A. Salubi

The recurrence of the cholera outbreak in Ibadan is alarming and very little has been documented on its spatial pattern. Hence, this study investigated the spatial pattern of cholera in Ibadan using GIS techniques and spatial statistics. Cholera is a disease that has been known to be associated with poor environmental sanitation. However, the impact of other contributory factors is also becoming evident. The study investigated the pattern of cholera incidence within the city for a period of three years. The process of geocoding was used to match addresses of cholera patients to the districts within Ibadan city. Anselin's Local Moran's I was used to assess statistically significant clusters within the city. The results depict clusters of cholera incidences located more within the core areas of the city characterized by high population density and poor sanitation. This study suggests improved environmental sanitation and provision of potable water supply to the core areas of the city. La récurrence de l'épidémie de choléra à Ibadan est alarmante et très peu a été documentée sur sa configuration spatiale. Par conséquent, cette étude a examiné le schéma spatial du choléra à Ibadan en utilisant des techniques SIG et des statistiques spatiales. Le choléra est une maladie connue pour être associée à un mauvais assainissement de l'environnement. Cependant, l'impact d'autres facteurs contributifs devient également évident. L'étude a examiné le schéma de l'incidence du choléra dans la ville pendant une période de trois ans. Le processus de géocodage a été utilisé pour faire correspondre les adresses des patients atteints de choléra aux districts de la ville d'Ibadan. Le Local Moran's I d'Anselin a été utilisé pour évaluer les grappes statistiquement significatives au sein de la ville. Les résultats décrivent des grappes d'incidences de choléra situées davantage dans les zones centrales de la ville caractérisées par une forte densité de population et un assainissement médiocre. Cette étude suggère une amélioration de l'assainissement de l'environnement et de l'approvisionnement en eau potable dans les zones centrales de la ville.


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