Widely accepted principles and assumptions of American planning theory come under heavy fire in this refreshing and provocative book. The author's main contention is that, contrary to current supposition, development planning is, in practice, a highly political activity. Professor Rondinelli maintains that it is because the dynamics of the policy-making process are not properly understood that current planning prescriptions are inadequate when they are applied within organizationally complex urban regions. To illustrate his argument, he offers a case history of federally aided redevelopment programs for an urban region in northeastern Pennsylvania that experienced three decades of economic decline. He further believes that existing programs of planning education do not provide the skills, knowledge, and experience necessary for effective management of urban change. Curricula must be reoriented, he says, if planners are to have an impact on future urban and regional development. Finally, he sets forth positive alternatives to current planning processes, stressing the need for planning theory and practice that recognize and cope with the characteristics of the complex policy-making system.
International assistance programmes for developing countries are in urgent need of revision. Continuous testing and verification is required if development activity is to cope effectively with the uncertainty and complexity of the development process. This examines the alternatives and offers an approach which focuses on strategic planning, administrative procedures that facilitate innovation, responsiveness and experimentation, and on decision-making processes that join learning with action. A useful text for academics and practitioners in development studies, geography and sociology.
This work, the first to apply contingency theory to education reform planning, is particularly useful in that it has applications to planning both in developing countries and in the United States and Europe. The basic approach applies to a wide variety of development programs and will influence project management and policy administration.
Widely accepted principles and assumptions of American planning theory come under heavy fire in this refreshing and provocative book. The author's main contention is that, contrary to current supposition, development planning is, in practice, a highly political activity. Professor Rondinelli maintains that it is because the dynamics of the policy-making process are not properly understood that current planning prescriptions are inadequate when they are applied within organizationally complex urban regions. To illustrate his argument, he offers a case history of federally aided redevelopment programs for an urban region in northeastern Pennsylvania that experienced three decades of economic decline. He further believes that existing programs of planning education do not provide the skills, knowledge, and experience necessary for effective management of urban change. Curricula must be reoriented, he says, if planners are to have an impact on future urban and regional development. Finally, he sets forth positive alternatives to current planning processes, stressing the need for planning theory and practice that recognize and cope with the characteristics of the complex policy-making system.
This book is on the study of resource utilization and management, a case study of the impact of state land ownership and land use regulation on development in Nigeria from 1955-1985. In 1978, the Federal Military Government of Nigeria promulgated a Land Use Decree whose objectives were to introduce a uniform land policy for the whole country, control hoarding and speculating in land, and facilitate the allocation of land for national development. However, critics of the decree argued that the new land policy amounted to nationalization of land in the country, and wondered whether such development strategy was appropriate in the 21st century In light of the foregoing this author examined the impact of the new land policy on development in Nigeria from 1955-1985, using qualitative and quantitative methods. The beginning and end of the study period coincide with the end of the colonial development plans that started in 1946 and ushered in Nigerias independence in 1960, and the end of the fourth national development plan of 1981-1985 under the military government that overthrew the civilian government in 1966, The study in this book is significant because of the importance of land as one of the most important factors of production in any society, others being labor, capital, entrepreneurship, and information resources. The implementation problems associated with the new land use law are highlighted. This author believes, however, that it is necessary that further research should be undertaken continually in the future, especially with a view to examining the effectiveness of the implementation experiences since the promulgation of the land use law in 1978.
This book reflects a large number of intellectual debts that I owe to friends and colleagues. The concepts and methods described here were developed and tested in field projects funded by the United States Agency for International Development. Eric Chetwynd, Jr., played a central role in the Urban Functions in Rural Development (UFRD) projects on which the book is based. Without his advocacy, interest and support for nearly a decade, the projects could not have been undertaken.
This collection of original essays highlights the implications of China's economic transition since 1978 for Sino-American business and trade. Each chapter assesses the implications of China's economic and trade reforms from a different perspective, but the thread running through all of them is a conviction that the government of China and Chinese enterprises will have to strengthen their capacity to compete more effectively in the global economy if they are to be successful in expanding trade and business with the United States. Government and business leaders in both countries will face important challenges in adjusting to changing global trade alliances if they are to be more effective trading partners. Contributors review the changes in economic and trade policies in China, trace the political roots of economic reforms, assess the ability of Chinese companies to enter U.S. markets, explore the management improvements needed in Chinese enterprises, examine the differences between Chinese and North American manufacturing enterprises, and outline the changes in the world economy to which both American and Chinese business and political leaders will have to adjust. The book begins with an introduction to the major issues facing China in transforming its economy and trade relationships with the United States and in strengthening its competitive position in the global economy. Contributors explore the political rationale for the economic changes that have taken place in China and provide a framework for understanding how China's trade policies have evolved since 1978. They trace the evolution of China's trade policies, especially as they apply to trade with the United States, and explore the remaining barriers to and opportunities for trade expansion between the two countries and the strategies that Chinese enterprises will have to adopt in order to enter U.S. markets or form joint ventures with U.S. companies. Trends in three major industries--textiles, machine tools, and medical supplies--illustrate the opportunities and requirements for Chinese enterprises to be competitive. This book will be of interest to students of international business, economics, trade and investment, China's modern economic and political history, and comparative management, and to business executives, government officials, and other professionals involved in trade and investment with China.
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