Managing Cities In Developing Countries

Urban management is a relatively new topic, which has gained increasing importance due to a rise in urbanization and a wave of decentralization programs in recent decades. This innovative book is the first systematic treatment of the critical urban management issues facing developing countries. The volume brings together a number of theoretical approaches and practical experiences in order to study the economic and financial aspects of urban management. The author argues that urban managers have to make their cities more competitive via the new opportunities provided by decentralization, and suggests that the formulation of a development strategy and the use of elements from new public management theory will improve urban governance and service delivery. In addition, emphasis is placed on the importance of involving different stakeholders, which will lead to an integrated analysis of urban problems and, therefore, integrated solutions. Related issues such as urban environmental sustainability and the role of modern information technology are also explored in detail. The book concludes with a review of the emerging new themes at the forefront of contemporary urban management studies. This important new volume will be an essential resource for students, scholars and practitioners with an interest in urban planning, development and management.

In a world increasingly organised as networks of cities, this book offers the first full-length treatment of the subject of managing the city economy. It explores key challenges and strategies, particularly in developing countries, where developmental deficits are greatest and almost all urban growth up to 2050 will take place. Adopting a practitioner’s perspective, theoretically grounded and international in scope, this book is unique in its focus and endeavours to connect theory with practice. Through an interdisciplinary and strategic approach, this book explores the challenges and options in managing the contemporary city economy. It aims to illustrate the extent to which appropriate policy interventions in the city economy could offer effective solutions to some of the most difficult social and environmental challenges facing cities. The book comprises five main parts. Part I sets the scene and examines contemporary processes that affect cities and explains the challenges they pose for city managers. Part II presents a selection of conceptual frameworks commonly used in urban economic analysis. Part III examines the management of sectoral growth, covering manufacturing, exports of services, transport and logistics, and real estate. Part IV addresses urban poverty, low-carbon transition and the informal economy. Part V focuses on laying the foundation for long-term city development, exploring the roles of city development strategies, municipal finance, investment in people and appropriate infrastructure. This book is designed for graduate courses in urban economic development, urban planning, urban policy and public administration, and for professionals who are involved in the management of city economies or/and conducting research, consultancy or policy advocacy for cities. Through critical review of relevant debates and a dozen case studies this book will equip city managers with the knowledge required to strengthen the performance of their city economy while delivering authentic and sustainable development.

Examines new approaches to urban planning and management. Amongst the areas covered are: urban management intervention in land markets; planning and managing urban services; political control of urban planning and management; and the role of law in urban planning.

Containing a wealth of student-friendly features this text provides an invaluable introduction to the issues and processes of the city in the Third World.

The relentless growth of cities is inevitable--and irreversible. Developing countries' share of the world's urban population will rise to 71% by the year 2000 and 80% by 2025. By the end of the 1990s, it is estimated that 18 cities in developing countries will have a population of 10 million or more. Although those cities are centers of production, employment, and innovation, rapid urbanization has had many negative consequences: an alarming increase in the incidence of urban poverty, the concentration of modern productive activities in major metropolitan areas, inadequate access to housing and basic urban services, and the degradation of the urban environment. Urban Management reviews the state of the art in innovative urban management, discusses the latest findings on key issues of urban management, and identifies policy-relevant research needs and priorities. Chapters are contributed by urban specialists from Asia, Latin America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, and North America, who identify urbanization processes and strategies, provide comparative analyses of urban management issues throughout the world, and present original country case studies. Recommended for urban development planners and administrators in developing countries, persons from donor countries working on projects in developing countries, students of urban management, and others interested in developmental issues at the global, regional, national, and municipal levels.

In a world increasingly organised as networks of cities, this book offers the first full-length treatment of the subject of managing the city economy. It explores key challenges and strategies, particularly in developing countries, where developmental deficits are greatest and almost all urban growth up to 2050 will take place. Adopting a practitioner’s perspective, theoretically grounded and international in scope, this book is unique in its focus and endeavours to connect theory with practice. Through an interdisciplinary and strategic approach, this book explores the challenges and options in managing the contemporary city economy. It aims to illustrate the extent to which appropriate policy interventions in the city economy could offer effective solutions to some of the most difficult social and environmental challenges facing cities. The book comprises five main parts. Part I sets the scene and examines contemporary processes that affect cities and explains the challenges they pose for city managers. Part II presents a selection of conceptual frameworks commonly used in urban economic analysis. Part III examines the management of sectoral growth, covering manufacturing, exports of services, transport and logistics, and real estate. Part IV addresses urban poverty, low-carbon transition and the informal economy. Part V focuses on laying the foundation for long-term city development, exploring the roles of city development strategies, municipal finance, investment in people and appropriate infrastructure. This book is designed for graduate courses in urban economic development, urban planning, urban policy and public administration, and for professionals who are involved in the management of city economies or/and conducting research, consultancy or policy advocacy for cities. Through critical review of relevant debates and a dozen case studies this book will equip city managers with the knowledge required to strengthen the performance of their city economy while delivering authentic and sustainable development.