The Theory of Welfare Considerations in Public Facility Location Problems

The paper provides a general theoretical framework for analyzing the locational choice of public facilities from the point of view of social welfare. Spatial interactions of individuals and economies to scale in the public sector are taken into account, and that, in turn, adds another dimension to the set of alternatives facing the decision maker. His choice has to be made by considering size as well as space alternatives for the provision of the public service. The paper presents a theoretical structure for ranking those alternatives.     

Paying for water: water pricing and equity in England and Wales

Over the past three decades, the business of water supply in England and Wales has been gradually transforming from the supply of a service to citizens, to the sale of a commodity to customers. The paper provides a genealogy of concepts of efficiency and equity in water regulation over the past thirty years, prior to evaluating the implications for water consumers of one aspect of this process – the shift away from policies prioritizing inter- and intra-regional equalization (implying a principle of social equity) towards policies prioritizing economic efficiency (implying a principle of economic equity) in water charging. In closing, alternatives to the current arrangements for domestic consumers are proposed.     

北京应急避难场所的区位优化配置分析

在中国城市快速增长的背景下,城市公共服务设施的空间配置成为社会各界关注的热点问题。本文以北京市中心城区的应急避难场所为例,利用Voronoi多边形算法,研究应急避难场所的空间优化和配置。结论显示,北京市作为人口密集的国际大都市,其应急避难场所的建设存在一定的缺口,在空间上分布也不均衡;根据公共服务设施"均等化"的原则,北京市中心城区至少需要新建40多个大型应急避难场所;从公共服务设施配置的公平和效率原则出发,未来应急避难场所的建设重点不仅要增加数量和扩大规模,还应调整空间配置。     

基于弱势群体需求的北京服务设施可达性集成研究

关注人群属性和需求,探讨服务设施供给的社会公平是新时代服务设施研究的重要议题,对于人口总量巨大、社会构成多元、社会空间分异凸显的大城市尤其如此。尽管研究某一弱势群体对单项服务设施需求的文献不断涌现,但是结合居民主观的服务设施需求偏好的可达性集成研究尚不多见。本文以北京作为案例城市,首先采用居民主观调查数据分析四类弱势群体对于公共服务设施的需求结构,然后基于POI数据,借助GIS分析这四类弱势群体服务设施需求偏好下的北京市公共服务设施综合可达性情况,且对综合可达性较差的区域进行了空间识别。本研究综合定性与定量方法,探讨主观与客观数据相匹配的可达性集成方法,可以为今后的相关研究提供借鉴,并能够对北京建设国际一流和谐宜居之都提供理论支撑。     

公共服务视野下的城市空间正义问题——以山东省Q市为例

以山东省Q市为例，从公共服务满意度视角探讨城市空间正义问题及其作用路径。研究发现，近年来我国城市存在公共服务视野下明显的空间不正义问题，临近省市政府能享受更多、更好的公共服务，而区政府并不显著，且远离政府权力中心的边缘地带更加严重。不过，这种空间不正义问题更多源自省市政府权力的空间资源配置失衡，区政府没有足够话语权；主要在市辖区层面，街道尺度并不显著。受制于公共产品属性不同，不同公共服务的空间不正义问题有明显差异，弱排他性或弱竞争性的问题较小。另外，权力空间化通过公共产品配置数量和质量影响空间不正义问题，且质量层面远大于数量层面。新时代城市要从提高公共产品质量入手实现空间正义。     

Equity in Regional Service Provision

Most transportation agencies stipulate that an important planning goal is to provide equitable and just public transport services. However, who is to be served and the type of service that should be provided has been ambiguous. This paper develops a methodology for examining equity in the provision of public transportation services. An approach for identifying areas in need of public transport is developed based upon the use of socio-demographic and economic information. Public transport need is then related to levels of access to service. This approach makes it possible to establish the degree to which public transport services may be considered equitable in relation to need and suitable access. A detailed analysis of the southeast Queensland region of Australia illustrates how this approach may be used to inform public transport decision making.     

Voluntary Agencies as Development Organizations: Theorizing the Problem of Efficiency and Accountability

Co-operatives, NGOs and community groups are being increasingly used as development agencies by policy-makers, because they are thought to provide more accountable, effective and equitable services in many areas than public or private agencies. This article attempts to consider some of the theoretical and practical implications of this growing role by treating them as ‘value-driven’ organizations, and asking how this differentiates them, in terms of efficiency and accountability, from public or private agencies. It notes the lack of developed theoretical models capable of dealing with this question, and examines the relevance of existing theories (neo-classical economics, public administration and especially varieties of organization theory including the New Institutional Economics) in dealing with agencies which claim to be dominated by motivations based on democracy and altruism rather than self-interest. The author looks at problems associated with the measurement of efficiency and enforcement of accountability in organizational life and at the need for effective incentives and sanctions which provide a stable basis for maintaining commitment. He then considers the issues involved in the enforcement of accountability to ensure the efficient use of resources in producer co-operatives on the one hand and service delivery NGOs on the other. In the former, the focus is on the strengths and weaknesses of market competition and the costs of collective management; in the latter on the varied relationships between ‘principals and agents' involved in the production and management of services.     

旅游公共服务体系与旅游目的地满意度的结构关系研究——以桂林国家旅游综合改革试验区为例

在整理及分析国内外相关研究文献的基础上,本文以桂林国家旅游综合改革试验区为例,运用结构方程模型(SEM)模拟游客感知的城乡旅游公共服务体系与旅游目的地满意度的结构关系。结果表明:(1)旅游接待服务感知成为影响旅游地游客满意度最为关键的因素;(2)政府主导下的旅游公共服务体系感知也被证实为影响旅游接待服务感知、游客满意度的显著因素;(3)政府主导下的旅游公共服务体系建设是桂林提升旅游竞争力的关键。最后针对研究结果提出一些建议,并指出本文的不足及今后的研究方向。     

基于可达性的县域医疗服务均等化分析——以湖北省松滋市为例

中国县域城乡和不同乡镇之间的发展存在较大差异,在卫生领域表现尤为突出。在偏远农区,医疗资源短缺、卫生服务落后和健康保障缺位现象普遍存在。本文以湖北省松滋市为研究区域,以包括行政村和居委会的聚落点为基本研究单元,将可达性分析与聚类分析相结合,评估并表达不同区域医疗服务均等化水平并探讨相关公共政策。结果表明:(1)在县域尺度,医疗服务均等化水平空间差异明显,呈现出中心城区向周边递减的情况;(2)医疗服务均等化水平与经济发展水平分布格局上存在空间同型特征;(3)聚落中心、交通沿线可达性较高,而交通的改善会显著降低空间阻抗系数,促进均等化进程。     

Gender,Pay Equity and Human Service Work: A New South Wales Case Study

The 1998 New South Wales Pay Equity Inquiry demonstrates some limitations of dominant theoretical approaches to the undervaluation of work in female-dominated occupations and industries. Campaigns for equal pay could be enriched with a firmer understanding of the complexity of caring and emotional labour in women's paid human service occupations such as nursing, hairdressing and childcare. Such understandings can help redefine skill and worth so as more thoroughly to recognise and reward interpersonal work performed in female-dominated service occupations. Rejecting common moral and economic objections to placing monetary values on these traditionally feminine and ostensibly ‘non-economic’s activities is another ingredient for the historic achievement of gender pay equity.     

Leviathan vs. Lilliputian: A Data Envelopment Analysis of Government Efficiency

In this paper we present a new approach to measuring government efficiency, based on the theory that communities that allocate resources efficiently in the local public sector maximize property values. We use Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to identify the counties in Minnesota that are characterized by property-value maximization and hence an efficient public sector. The results indicate that the dominant source of public sector inefficiency is an inappropriate scale of operations. It appears that some county jurisdictions are too large to service the population efficiently. The size and concentration of government power are also responsible in part for observed inefficiencies.     

贫困人口扶贫政策获得感评价与提升路径研究——以马斯洛需求层次理论为视角

以马斯洛需求层次理论为视角,运用大别山片区微观调研数据,通过理论分析与数理推导,构建结构方程模型,对贫困人口扶贫政策获得感进行综合评价与提升路径研究。结果表明:贫困人口物质需求、安全需求、社交需求、公平需求、能力需求在一定程度上得到满足后均能对其扶贫政策获得感的提升产生正向促进作用,且位于需求层次高低两端的物质需求与能力需求的正向促进作用最强;各维度正向促进作用在不同脱贫状态群体中差异性较大,能力需求对于已脱贫群体获得感提升的影响更为显著;大别山片区整体贫困人口扶贫政策获得感较高,各维度上指数得分差异性较小,但不同地区间存在一定差距。基于研究结果,本文提出一些贫困人口扶贫政策获得感提升路径。     

北京市居民通勤特征研究——基于千余份问卷调查的分析

在千余份问卷调查的基础上,对北京市4个不同居住-就业空间结构样本区进行了不同交通方式、不同样本区居民的通勤距离、时间、效率等特征比较。结果表明:公共交通是北京市居民通勤的主要方式;随着通勤距离的增加,居民最常选择的交通方式从非机动车向公交再向地铁转变;北京市居民通勤时间相比于其他国际大都市偏长;私家车通勤效率最高;换乘对交通效率有较大负影响,在大型居住-就业中心通勤流中这一问题尤为严重;职住平衡的区域较之于居住或就业中心有着相对短的通勤距离和时间,以及相对高的非机动车出行比例。     

THE PROBLEM OF DEVELOPING RURAL SERVICES IN NOVGOROD OBLAST

Novgorod Oblast, in northwestern Russia, has been distinguished by a high rate of rural outmigration and depletion of agricultural labor resources. One key factor in slowing the flight from the land is an improvement in the quality and range of rural services. The impact of adequate services is shown by available data on the distribution of rural population by distance from service centers. The rate of decline of rural population is generally found to be lower in places near service centers than in more remote places. Since most of the rural places are too small to support service establishments, it is recommended that services be expanded in about 200 central places that show promise of future growth.     

广州城市公共服务设施供给空间分异研究

转型期以来,政府治理制度的变革及公私部门关系的重构使我国城市公共服务设施供给主体、供给机制逐步多元化,其分布形态也由空间均衡趋向分异。本文以广州为案例,研究结果表明:广州城市公共服务设施分布总体上呈核心-边缘空间格局,区域供给规模差异大且与人口分布不相协调,区际及不同类型设施的空间聚集水平差异显著;传统计划经济条件下城市公共服务设施空间均衡分布模式被市场经济条件下高收入地区指向的集中布局模式所取代,表现出类似西方国家城市公共资源配置的"反比例服务法则"。     

An Assessment of the Space-Time Differential Model for Aggregate Trip Behavior to Planned Suburban Shopping Centers

Aggregate trip behavior to planned suburban shopping centers is studied in terms of changes in trip distance and shopping time within a framework of trip frequency, center scale, and consumer mobility. Such changes are expressed by a second-order differential equation. The assumed shopping strategy is that consumers accelerate the shopping trip cycle by minimizing trip distances. This can be solved to provide theoretical norms to assess against an exploratory data set compiled from 2,810 surveys undertaken in 1980/82 and 1988/89 over a range of centers. The analysis shows a significant relationship between the gravity coefficient and trip frequency. The samples are tested for periodicity using Fourier analysis. The results show that “small” centers are more likely to exhibit periodic behavior. “Large” centers do not follow this hypothesis. Both the gravity coefficient and trip frequency are shown to be quadratic functions of center size. The nonlinearity may be introduced by the agglomeration of shopping opportunities at larger centers. A critical value for “small-” and “large-”center behavior is determined from the minimum points of these distributions. A second equation from classical diffusion analysis is tested for “large” center behavior, where consumers accelerate spatial choice through a time minimization strategy. The results suggest that this strategy occurs at the midrange specialty center during the afternoon of the pre-Christmas rush rather than at large regional centers. The empirical characteristics of the three types of trip behavior are summarized.     

The Impact of State-Controlled Banks on the Russian Banking Sector

A senior Russian economist examines the structure, governance, and balance sheets of state-controlled banks in Russia, which accounted for over 55 percent of the total assets in the country's banking system in early 2011. The author offers a credible estimate of the size of the country's state banking sector by including banks that are indirectly owned by public organizations. Contrary to some predictions based on the theoretical literature on economic transition, he explains the relatively high profitability and efficiency of Russian state-controlled banks by pointing to their competitive position in such functions as acquisition and disposal of assets on behalf of the government. Also suggested in the paper is a different way of looking at market concentration in Russia (by consolidating the market shares of core state-controlled banks), which produces a picture of a more concentrated market than officially reported. Lastly, one of the author's interesting conclusions is that China provides a better benchmark than the formerly centrally planned economies of Central and Eastern Europe by which to assess the viability of state ownership of banks in Russia and to evaluate the country's banking sector.     

Private School Enrollment and Public School Performance

Advocates of education privatization often take two general approaches to denigrating commonplace public school monopoly service provision assignments. One general argument is that public school administrators are self-interested rent-seekers, which is evidenced by the ever-enlarging bureaucracies they operate. This argument has been roundly criticized by Kevin Smith and Kenneth Meier (1994, 1995) in two methodologically rigorous analyses. The second general argument is grounded in the assumption that public school student performance will improve if public schools are forced to compete for enrollment with private school alternatives. The evidence regarding this claim of privatization advocates has been contested in a systematic study of North Carolina school districts, but requires further analysis to determine if these findings can be generalized to school districts writ large. Such a replication study is presented here, with findings reported that are in agreement with those of Newmark (1995).     

Probabilistic, Maximal Covering Location—Allocation Models forCongested Systems

When dealing with the design of service networks, such as health andemergency medical services, banking or distributed ticket-selling services, the location of servicecenters has a strong influence on the congestion at each of them, and, consequently, on thequality of service. In this paper, several probabilistic maximal coveringlocation—allocation models with constrained waiting time for queue length are presentedto consider service congestion. The first model considers the location of a given number ofsingle-server centers such that the maximum population is served within a standard distance, andnobody stands in line for longer than a given time or with more than a predetermined number ofother users. Several maximal coverage models are then formulated with one or more servers perservice center. A new heuristic is developed to solve the models and tested in a 30-node network.     

MEASURING THE INEQUITY OF URBAN PUBLIC SERVICES METHODOLOGICAL DISCUSSION WITH APPLICATIONS*

This article attempts to extend the analysis of urban service delivery beyond equality of units of service input to measurement of the equity of both inputs and outputs (impact). The author develops an original technique for measuring and indexing service equity. It is applied to police services in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The findings are generally consistent with other recent research around the nation in that only modest inequities in service inputs and outputs are found and little evidence of systematic discrimination toward the poor and racial minorities is found.