China City Planning Review (No.4, 2017)

♦Development of Basic Rules in Urban Planning Practices in Shenzhen

Author: Huang Weidong

Abstract: With urban development, urban planning has progressively evolved from an ideal spatial blueprint to a comprehensive urban governance policy. Planning rules, as a comprehensive mechanism to facilitate urban governance and planning implementation, have gradually changed from being a postposition measure to guarantee urban planning implementation to being a significant prerequisite to guide the improvement of planning technology (management) methodologies. From the public-oriented, ecology-oriented, and synergy-oriented perspectives, this paper reviews Shenzhen’s practical explorations on design rules, management rules, and compilation rules and proposes several thoughts on improving the rules.

Keywords: planning system; planning practice; Shenzhen

♦Towards Sustainable Cities: Using Multiple Linear Regression Model to Identify Influencing Factors to Promote the Use of Public Transport in Downtown Nanjing, China

Author: Shi Fei, Ju Yang

Abstract: In China, public transport has long been regarded as a countermeasure to traffic congestion, air pollution, and extensive energy consumption, etc. Research has shown that the choice of public transport is correlated with physical factors (i.e., built environment factors) and non-physical factors (e.g., socioeconomic conditions). This study takes Downtown Nanjing, a major urban area in Eastern China as its study area and uses a multiple linear regression model to identify the factors influencing the choice of public transport, in order to inform future planning, design, and management. The result shows that, with a confidence level of 99%: high repetition coefficient of public transport lines, short distance to the nearest rail transit station, and a high proportion of transit pass holders can promote using public transport. Mixed land use, a high proportion of low-income travelers, and high density of four (and more) way intersections can promote the choice of public transport when confidence level drops to 90%. Based on the findings, this study makes suggestions for increasing the use of public transport, including improving the coverage of rail transit stations and repetition coefficient of public transport lines, promoting public transport passes and mixed land use, etc. The findings from this study provide meaningful information for planners and decision-makers to build transit-oriented and sustainable cities.

Keywords: public transport; built environment; socioeconomic factors; regression analysis; Nanjing

♦A New Bottom-Up Process: The Rural Urbanization Driven by E-Commerce in China

Author: Luo Zhendong, He Heming

Abstract: Rural urbanization driven by e-commerce is a new bottom-up urbanization process originating in the information era. The systematical restructuring that this process brings about in the social life, economic environment, and physical space of the countryside, which is reflected in characteristics such as the leaping non-agriculturalization of employment, the comprehensive modernization of rural life, and the intensive spatial urbanization. Obviously, there are many common features between this new process and the old one in the past three decades, but progresses also exist. The distinctions of the countryside, such as a low-cost entrepreneurial environment, local non-agricultural industry, and resources of specialty agricultural products, are manifested in the process. Combined with the Internet and e-commerce by the rural grassroots entrepreneurs, they enable rural area to break the location constrains and join in the national even global industry division, and further realize the leaping development of scale and function. Meanwhile, the capital and talents back to the rural areas are an important guarantee for the upgrading of rural development. Consequentially, the developing and planning idea of smart shrinking is necessary for the rural urbanization process driven by e-commerce in China.

Keywords: bottom-up urbanization; e-commerce; rural urbanization; characteristics; spatial mode; mechanism

♦New Patterns of County In-Situ Urbanization and Rural Development: Perspective of E-Commerce

Author: Xu Chan, Lü Bin, Wen Tianzuo

Abstract: Starting with the connotation of e-commerce and its development in counties, this paper analyzes the impact of e-commerce upon the urbanization pattern in China, and argues that influenced by the growing popularity of e-commerce in the internet era, human resources and economies at all city levels will get increasingly equal access to opportunities, and the centrality of big cities is compromised. In addition, counties and villages within their jurisdiction are presented with unprecedented opportunities. Development in rural areas will achieve a radical transition from being industrialization-driven to information-driven. This paper further sheds light on the fact that under this new urbanization trend, county in-situ urbanization and rural development driven by e-commerce will be a new approach toward urbanization in China. Then, in-depth analysis into the connotation and approaches of county in-situ urbanization is given, alongside with three different patterns for rural development which are the extension pattern, intervention pattern, and endogenesis pattern respectively, providing implication for the new urbanization in the context of information age of China.

Keywords: e-commerce; county; urbanization; rural area

♦Development Characteristics and Mechanism of Taobao Villages in Jiangsu Province Under E-Commerce Economy

Author: Zhou Jing, Yang Ziyue, Gao Wen

Abstract: With the e-commerce economy spreading to rural areas, Taobao villages in Jiangsu Province present a rapid development trend. This paper firstly summarizes the general development situation of Taobao villages in Jiangsu Province from the three aspects of quantity, product types, and spatial distribution. Then it analyzes the specific development characteristics of different product-based Taobao villages. Finally, from the four angles of industry bases, e-commerce platforms, e-commerce businessmen groups, and logistics support, it explores the driving mechanism of Taobao villages in Jiangsu Province and points out that more and more villages will be involved in the Internet revolution along with the further development of Internet and e-commerce.

Keywords: e-commerce; Taobao villages; development characteristics; driving mechanism; Jiangsu Province

♦Spatial Distribution Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Taobao Villages in Guangzhou

Author: Hu Yao, Liu Li

Abstract: Through a case study on 24 Taobao villages in Guangzhou, this paper analyzes the relationship between the spatial distribution characteristics and influencing factors of Taobao villages using the online data mining methodology, and compares e-commerce-based industry clusters with traditional industry clusters. The result shows that Taobao villages in Guangzhou are mainly distributed in peripheral areas of the central city, with low population and employment density; villages running the same kind of business present the trend of concentration. And the formation of Taobao villages is highly relevant to the distribution of factories, wholesale markets, express services, and low-rent housing, as well as the learning and demonstration effect among subjects. It further proves that, under the influence of e-commerce, the importance of economies of scale and economies of scope brought by geographic proximity has been weakened, while the importance of interaction and communication effect among subjects have been obviously strengthened.

Keywords: Taobao village; e-commerce; online data mining; Guangzhou

♦A Social Network Analysis on Organizational Innovation and Its Effects: A Case Study on the Practice of Changzhou Municipal Bureau of Urban Planning, Xinbei Branch

Author: Li Dongquan, Lan Zhiyong, Wei Dengyu

Abstract: Using Xinbei Branch of Changzhou Municipal Bureau of Urban Planning as a case, this study carefully examines how organizations innovate in China’s urban planning management. The study builds itself upon a network analysis of the data collected through a survey of all the relevant members about their working relationships after their organizational reform. It shows that, with regional competition for economic development, the local government departments in developed areas tend to actively seek opportunities for organizational innovation in order to ensure planning management effectiveness and promote planning implementation efficiency. The reform measures and their effects are carefully examined for identifying lessons and experiences in planning implementation in China.

Keywords: Social Network Analysis; planning management; organizational innovation; Xinbei Branch Bureau

♦Globalization and the Evolution and Characteristics of Spatial Distribution of Transnational Organizations in Guangzhou (1949 – 2012)

Author: Xue Desheng, Liang Jiajian, Huang Gengzhi

Abstract: Transnational organizations refer to governmental and non-governmental organizations engaged in transnational behaviors, which are important carriers of political globalization. Given the wave of world city studies sweeping the academia worldwide, transnational organizations have attracted increasing attentions. Through a review of existing research, an analysis of historical archive and interviews, and the application of space syntax, this paper examines the development process and characteristics of spatial distribution of transnational organizations in Guangzhou since the founding of P. R. China. It divides the development process of transnational organizations in Guangzhou into three stages: budding period, starting period, and developing period. In this process, the number of organizations and related types increased sharply, and the business was much extended. Along with the eastward shift of the city center, the distribution center of transnational organizations consequently moved to the east, indicating their location characteristics of geographical centrality and proximity to major globalized spaces. The spatial distribution of transnational organizations shows: proximity to city center or high-level transportation center; demands for security, communication, and notability of geographical position; locations of different types of organizations owning different levels of integration value; organizations of specific functions prefer urban districts with related functions.

Keywords: globalization; transnational organization; spatial distribution; space syntax; integration value; Guangzhou