Creatively prototyping the future high street

Abstract

This paper gives a voice to a range of community and individual stakeholders who would not generally be heard in the conventional town planning process. We present a methodological technique, described as creative prototyping, that has at its heart, the capability to enable full stakeholder inclusivity into the future imagining of the smart city. Actively involving these individuals and community representatives in the research process enables deeper understanding of how technology and people can interact productively to create smart cities that are socially inclusive while still being commercially relevant. The research data for this paper are drawn from the findings of a workshop conducted by the authors that utilised Science Fiction Prototyping and Lego Serious Play. This research activity was driven by questions focusing upon the current complex interplay and tensions of technology and the UK’s physical high street. We first explore these issues theoretically in previous literature and then drawn upon this review to analyse the outcomes of the workshop. Three themes emerge from this analysis that have operational and strategic relevance to the development of future high streets; the importance of ever present but invisible technology, the forefronting of people in the smart city and the need for wide-ranging stakeholder input and participation into planning. The findings also illustrate that not all future imaginings of the retail high street are immediately practical or realistically applicable. However, in examining the many issues facing the current high street and in negotiating the multiplicity of voices with their competing demands and expectations, we offer the conclusion that the future smart city must become a place of truly shared sociality – rather than just mere proximity, customised convenience or a concentration point for multiple forms of entertainment.     

摩尔多瓦政局与“一带一路”框架下的中摩合作

介绍了近期摩尔多瓦出现的不间断的反对派抗议活动,分析了其原因,有经济原因,也有社会分化的政治因素,而且西方国家的插手也加剧了其内部矛盾。但这场动荡不会演变成一场大规模危机。摩尔多瓦独立以来,中摩合作已取得一定成果。但摩尔多瓦政局不稳对“一带一路”倡议的实施会带来了一定的风险和挑战。在“一带一路”框架下中国如何开展对摩尔多瓦的基础设施建设投资及其他活动,还需要对其局势有清醒认识和判断。     

Perfectionism and Choice

Empirical evidence suggests that perfectionism can affect choice behavior. When striving for perfection, a person can desire to keep normatively appealing options feasible even if she persistently fails to use these options later. For instance, she can “pay not to go to the gym,” as in DellaVigna and Malmendier (2006). By contrast, some perfectionists may avoid normatively important tasks for fear of negative self‐evaluation of their performance. This paper models perfectionist behaviors in Gul and Pesendorfer's (2001) menu framework where agents may be tempted to deviate from their long‐term normative objectives. In addition to self‐control costs, I identify a utility component that reflects emotional costs and benefits of perfectionism. My model is derived from axioms imposed on preferences over menus in an essentially unique way.     

食品网购行为意愿影响的实证研究--以结构方程模型为基础

消费者网络购物行为研究是近年来理论界和实务界的关注热点,与其相关的多个领域也取得了丰富的研究成果。以计划行为理论、感知风险理论及前景理论为基础,构建经验、感知风险、风险倾向、行为态度、行为控制、主观规范与食品网购行为意愿关系的理论模型,用该模型分析食品网络购物调查数据,结果表明：消费者在食品网络购物行为中,主观规范对行为意愿影响最为强烈,其次是行为态度与行为控制;经验对行为态度、行为控制、主观规范、感知风险及风险倾向有显著的影响,并通过这些因素对行为意愿产生间接影响;感知产品风险对行为态度影响显著,并通过其间接影响行为意愿。     

论网络购物合同的成立及标价错误

网络购物合同的成立,取决于网络购物平台商品信息发布行为的法律定性,如将其认定为要约,消费者在网络购物平台上的下单行为即为承诺;如认定为要约引诱,订单确认信的法律性质就成了判断网络购物合同成立与否的关键,这两点亟待明确。网络购物合同成立后,网络购物平台上的经营者能否以标价错误为由撤销网络购物合同,取决于其是否存有过失及过失的认定标准。网络购物合同被撤销的,依现行缔约过失责任规则,消费者的信赖利益难以得到填补,信赖责任规则是一种理论上可行的替代办法,但德国民法传统上可变的缔约过失责任规则是一条更为可取的法律路径。     

我国流浪儿童救助模式的转向研究——基于抗逆力理论的视角

纵观近30年来流浪儿童救助模式的发展历程,基本遵循着＂问题视角＂的工作理念与思路。救助服务的焦点集中在儿童流浪所产生的个体与社会问题及风险,其目标定位于以儿童流浪风险控制与问题解决为导向的国家为本和机构为本。将优势视角的核心要素抗逆力理论引入新型流浪儿童救助模式的构建过程,可以积极引导现有救助模式转向关注流浪儿童自身的优势与资源,并将救助目标定位为以流浪儿童能力提升与生命成长为导向的＂儿童为本＂,在当下具有重要的现实意义。     

Nonformal education for improving educational outcomes for street children and street youth in developing countries: A systematic review

Tens of millions of children and youth (up to 24 years of age) live and work on the streets of developing countries. Most of them are forced to leave formal education. As a potential solution, nonformal education (NFE) interventions have spread worldwide. However, no previous attempt has been made to address the state of evidence regarding effectiveness studies of NFE for street children and youth. This review addresses this gap by conducting the first systematic review concerning the effectiveness of NFE for improving educational outcomes for street children and street youth. The search was conducted in 35 structured electronic databases and numerous organizations and experts were also contacted. The screening of 9,271 titles resulted in the identification of zero prospective effectiveness studies with a counterfactual. Lessons are drawn from the highest quality excluded studies to inform future evaluations that seek to address this knowledge gap. Key Practitioner Message: ● Practitioners should implement comparable intake and monitoring assessments to track changes consistently over time; ● Programs informed by critical pedagogy and empowerment‐based approaches may improve behavioral outcomes; ● Programs that work with street children and street youth should clarify how they identify their target population.     

消散式遏制：中国劳工政治的比较个案研究

中国激烈的劳工抗争为何未能得到持续的扩展而被国家逐步平息,笔者试图通过对正式国有工人和长期临时工人的比较研究来回答此问题。本文聚焦这两组工人具体的斗争过程和机制,考察他们如何通过在街头抗议、集体上访和法律仲裁等不同斗争路线之间的穿梭,从而实现与国家代理人的互动。研究发现,这两类工人在斗争过程中获得了不同的象征性满足而不是物质上的让步;他们的满足方式的差异是国家代理人依据两类工人各自不同的历史轨迹和社会身份所做出的有差别的策略性回应与引导的结果。与强调工人内部分化导致集体无行动的“工人分化论”不同,本文所谓的“消散式遏制”强调分化的工人同地方国家代理人之间的互动,正是在这个过程中,工人们未能实现抗争可能带来的阶级认同,而是丧失了最初的激进动力和挑战性,逐步屈从于国家的和平驯化过程 。     

北京购物中心区位选择的实证分析——以八城区代表性的购物中心为例

作为零售业最高业态的购物中心,准确的区位选择是其获得成功的重要前提。本文选取北京主城区八个有代表性购物中心为样本,利用Huff概率模型探讨了北京五环以内各环线消费者到八大购物中心的出行时间和购物中心营业面积对消费者购买力的影响。通过回归分析得出,八个购物中心营业面积对消费者购物意愿的影响不大;各环线消费者到八个购物中心的出行概率与出行时间成反比,即购物中心的区位直接影响到消费者的光顾及频率。     

Organizational strengths and challenges of Kenyan NGOs serving orphans and vulnerable children: a template analysis

This qualitative study of Kenyan non-governmental organizations (NGOs) identified strengths and challenges associated with service provision to orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). From September to December 2006, data were collected by Kenyan research assistants in 34 NGOs in Nairobi and Eldoret. In-depth interviews were used to explore the perceptions of directors and staff in relation to organizational strengths and challenges in serving OVC. Structuration theory and template analysis were used to identify higher-order codes related to strengths and challenges of human agents, organizations and societal forces. Emergent themes and supporting interview quotations are presented to highlight common patterns across organizations, including strengths such as staff commitment, client outcomes, and resourceful communities, as well as challenges such as lack of staff, funding, and parental involvement. Through the analysis we uncover insights about the recursive relationship between micro and macro realities in Kenyan NGOs and the accompanying human and social transformations that result from providing services to OVC.