Problems of urban management and decision making

Geoforum,

Vol.7,

pp.307-312,

1976.

Pergamon Press. Printed in Great Britain

Problems of Urban Management

L. AVDOTJIN,

Summary:

Making

Moscow

Increasing

prediction

and Decision

importance

is being currently

attached

to the methodology

in urban science. It results in a wide use of cybernetics

step-like structure

of an urban systems analysis assumes the identification

regional and local. A theoretical

matrix

model of a town is an important

relations in the field of town planning. decision making problems (1) the statement

The systems approach

of management

and

and systems analysis ideas. Hierarchical of three management tool of systematizing

levels: global, data, facts and

to the solving of urban management

and

is realized in five stages; these stages are as follows:

of the problem;

(2) the elaboration

of working

(3) the differentiation

hypotheses;

of the system;

(4) the test of the system; (5) the elaboration

of concrete

recommendations.

Introduction

elaborated

on the basis of strict methodological

principles

with

the two

being emphasised In the USSR the urbanization technological

revolution

process of communist The realization formulated XXV

are inseparably

Union

in accord with directives

is a new important

improvement

urban

part of work

its efficiency.

of large

cultural

impact

management

adaptable

urban areas and grouped scientific

introduction important

construction

of the development

systems. Further

justified

urban theory

like any sufficiently

academic

projection,

and regulating

of current

planning

effects

of

on

predictions

of

of the systems within and long-term

planning

In other words, scientifically

methodology

extension

should

realization

systems as well as the

and development

It results, of necessity,

of

discipline

for effective

of management

becomes a corner stone of the town

and improvement

of

and forecasting planning

in the development

of research in a great variety

science.

and

of town

fields.

Thus the sphere of actual town

and more efficient solution

the most

Their solution

of pressing

culture

planning

theory

problems

assumes a high level of methodological

and theoretical

comprehensive

It becomes more and more evident

planning

is very wide.

problems.

town

theory

and regional settlement

development

means of practical

of developed

of large cities and

of making justified

and forecasting.

for

and functioning

of science are considered

planning

managing

the framework

is fully

planning

urban areas and settlement

an

the

of the

of the systems and cities

contemporary

opportunity behaviour

tasks. These first,

in visible future.

reveal an opportunity

and

problems

systems; and second, the problem

prediction

purposeful

process increasing considerably

on planning,

and functioning

settlement

Thus the town

planning science with its increasing tasks of the

effective

management

developed

with

that science is becoming

This statement

of the efficient

of reliable

It results, of

transportation,

as follows:

development

of many

The review and

development.

It is well recognized

town

at the

bringing them to conformity

service facilities

truly

complex

increasing scales and levels of housing

construction,

integral

endorsed

of master plans of the majority

from

constantly

are formulated

development

Part of the Soviet

completed.

problem

program

step in the solution

problems.

cities are being presently necessity,

problems

lined with the

of a wide socio-economic

planning

and

society development.

Congress of the Communist

urgent town

town

and scientific

most urgent

as the fundamental

of the contemporary

that main concepts

depth scientific

social progress. Intensive

are to be 307

based on the

analysis of achievements

and ideas

technological

and

research and experiments

308

Geoforum/Volume

carried

out currently

Design Institute revealing

at the Central

for Town

Planning

new ways, methods

efficiently

methodological

Makes the State Committee Architecture

responsible

and national

studies in this field with the Central

of the above

problems-prediction

New scientific

trends resulted

scale of computers employment

Research and are aimed at

and ideas that may be

used for the solution

from ever-increasing

and mathematic

methods

Problems,

and Mathematic for Automatic

Gosstroy

method.

comprehensive

systems analysis of town

possible or planned

means of predicting

a methodological

forecasting

is the Marxist-Leninist

knowledge,

logics and methodology,

fields thoroughly corresponding materialism. observed

investigated

theory

Quite a different

forecasting

and historical

picture

that is just beginning

In other words the problem academic

discipline

methods

of town

may be now planning

to be shaped.

of creating

dealing with

planning

base of

of

that is the

in the field of special town

are taking

of Municipal

part in solving the problem

Institutes

of Gosgrazhdanstroy.

research on the problem of

as a whole

G. Fomin,

for Civil Engineering

of systems approach

what is the difference

between

this approach

conventional

methods

of town

planning

management

and research?

between

studies and traditional

used by skilled

and scholars, when solving town

problems.

In both cases one can observe a complex

efficiently management

and decision making

urban and settlement currently

this problem

planning

current

theory

problem

applying

as the problems

approach

to a projecting

planning

or research object.

lies in a suddenly

The

increasing role of science

and current

methodology

to in

Structural-systems

solved by

characteristics

and their attributes

(interrelated

a universal approach penetrating

necessitates the elaborating systems approach problem

theory

of managing

development.

of the town

Institute

(IIASA)

undertaking

problem

of “Urban

by the Committee Presidium

for Applied

participation

The resolution

for Systems Analysis

of the Academy

and linked)

According a town

as systems.

to the investigation

and utilizes of complex

engineering,

most complicated

biological

to the anove mentioned

is a model of a complex

a majority

of

system

of objects characterized functional

by the

links and constant

interrelationship.

has in the

Systems Analysis

research, among others, Systems”.

definition including

systems

research on the problem Union

of

science as the

urban and settlement

Detailed

been caused by the Soviet International

planning

priciples

of such an

and other.

the

The

or characteristics

analysis elaborates

systems of any kind--economic,

it undoubtedly

of the rational

to the investigation

actual

into all the

Therefore

considered

analysis regards any combination

objects or elements

objects.

Systems studies are widely

and

base of systems approach.

The structural-systems

fields of science and practice.

with the traditional

analysis is presently

main methodological structural-systems

This pressing

science and systems analysis when

managing complex

as compared

even when used by the most gifted

is

is not paid much attention and practice.

and widely

which

more

skilled projectors.

of forecasting.

can be most efficiently

cybernetic

of

in the field of

systems development

as important

However,

the methodology

out

systems

projectors

while using techniques

has become

projecting,

It should be pointed

approach

and

and

that there are no contradictions

difference

urgent. of elaborating

is

Chairman and

makes it possible to apply systems approach

The problem

under

Services

What are the essential features

approach

a special

laws, means and

prediction

and Design

Architecture.

and based on

tenets of dialectical

of the Academy

Systems in Construction

of the State Committee

and other decisions and

As is known

as

Central

Scientific

carried out under the direction

results of some scientific,

designing, administrative arrangements.

The complex

planning

Institute Central

the Academy

alongside with other

makes it possible to carry out a

objects acting as a powerful

town

USSR,

after Pamphilov

So the stimulation

Planning

the Institute

Institute

and essence of a cybernetic

for Town

Such large institutes

of Management

and

international

being the head organization.

of Science of the USSR, a

for Civil Engineering

for conducting

and Design Institute

Economic

of

and systems analysis revealing

specific character

Scientific

and management.

are based on the methods

stimulation

7INumber 4/1976

on the adopted

under the

of Science of the USSR

The fundamental

methodological

structural-systems disaggregation and initial

of the and

of the analysed system into subsystems

elements

alongside

of all forms of their functional disaggregation

principle

analysis is differentiation

with the identification interconnections.

of an urban system into subsystems

The

GeoforumlVolume

can be achieved through depending

309

7INumber 4/l 976

a great variety

on the main objectives

nature of requirements The differentiation functional

and planning

pragmatic

excluding

philosophic

functional

correlation

objectives

problems

units. Having

it is evidently

systematizing

more expedient

structural

elements

(territory,

and functional activities

representing

environment, elements

(industry,

physical

pattern

structures,

determined

of a

networks

etc.)

by the population

service, institutions

etc.)

The differentiation

or a step-like

structure,

assuming declining

upper levels of the settlement lower ones. As far as town three primary

planning

regional

local level.

are considered

decisions are made in the field of settlement network

distribution

with productive

questions

problem

the third

regions and large

definite

subsystem

areas up to a particular

function.

partaking

functions, subsystem,

construction

and functioning

link of component

represent

realized,

in its turn,

link obtained

of structural

basic types of urban functioning

to

in the structural-systems meaning:

few large structural

of a system”

as the combinationof

formations-subsystems is subdivided

way we can subdivide set of particular

of third

of the

into a group of

subsystems of the second level, including, subsystems or elements

used

analysis has the following

the system is treated

first level; each of them

functions,

However,

it is insufficient

components

and settlement

structure

in their turn,

level etc. By the same

a general urban function

into a

ones and divide them until elementary

that is indivisible

functions,

model

representation

helps to maintain matrix

a structure

The matrix

its “integrity”

and visually.

elements

in of

It is

through

lines-

a structural

graph

of the urban system examined.

functional “hierarchical

individual

by means of

layers corresponding

systems. The concept

by a

urban system represent

links which will result in obtaining

Besides

it is

column.

revealed between

possible to connect

a vertical

subsystems and elements.

there may be a horizontal the identification

levels of system

set of

of the

subsystem;

forms a matrix

and shows it rather conveniently hierarchical

The whole

placed at the crossing of lines and columns

the research object

Thus the proposed

to a

line. The whole set of

case of “structural-disaggregated”

flat.

Each initial

of the realization

forms a functional

by a matrix

in the investigated

house or a

data,

the factors

and will take part in the realization

of the given system as a whole.

urban planning

and obtained including

model will be referred

elementary

function

elements

lowest levels may be considered

areas, residential

of the matrix

matrix

means of analysing

impacts on a town.

element

The interconnections

of managing a town as such.

Some additional

all the available

facts, links and interconnections

structural

and initial

a theoretical

and systematizing

elementary

level deals with the

herein. These levels are ranged from

table, and in obtaining

represented

at the second

functions

used as a powerful

definite

are discussed: settlement

economico-geographic

urban agglomerations;

and urban

the theory

urban system in a specially

model of a town

initial elements

of the

and facts

becomes.

of the analysed

of a definite

and

scale in accord

forces distribution;

level the following in individual

on a national

l-a

The

of research

of the system results in the

of environmental

are proposed:

level; Ill-a

At the first level the problems

to

is concerned

levels of management

global level; II-a

order from

system construction

helps to

making.

the method

observations

of all elementary

elaborated principle

of obtained

becomes, and more strict and objective

elements

The analysis should be based on a hierarchical

of systematizing

the essence of the object

of the given question

recording

identify

The knowledge

of managing and decision

the more subtle and definite

and

to put emphasis on the said aspects of an urban fabric: town

method

about this object.

solve problems

enough

of the urban system we

the essence of a given object

an effective

deeper we fathom

of research and

of structural

components

shall be able to fathom

knowledge

and on the basis of the

if we can objectively

and differentiate

obtaining

can be carried out in accord with

of structural

in view specific

Consequently

made for the results of research.

characteristics

identification

of means

of research and the

are obtained.

to identify

and to confirm

the system

the availability

links and their connections

of certain

while analysing

the system.

It is also necessary to identify

of relations

that will play the role of the basic system-

generating

feature,

because the combination

same initial elements essentially

different

generating

features

problem W.R., “Thus.

may represent,

one of the founders an economist, historian

of the

in principle,

systems depending selected.

in an urban context

engineer,

the property

on system-

The existence

of such a

is well shown by Eshby

of cybernetics

sociologist,

science:

communication-

etc. treat the branched

municipal

310

Geoforum/Volume

economy

of New-York

in an entirely

different

When these specialists say “it is a system” mean absolutely confusion

different

way.

things and soon come to a of the

determines example

characteristic

the main goal of the concrete

a situation

may be imagined

is analysed

mutually

corresponding

primarily

efficiency

of interconnections

say, by minimum

For

when the urban of main functional

or urban zones may be characteristic

expressed,

total time spent on intraurban

Other characteristics

The identification when analysing principle

of system-generating

and determines

efficiency

of selecting

estimation

to a great extent

proper criteria

of purposeful

regulating

and also for decision

determined followed

in the field.

feature

and

principled

position

approach

and primarily

the order and context depending

research object, methods

of management planning.

on character

and complexity

generating

characteristics

in terms

ot concrete

research

and corresponding

criteria

are herein of a great importance. problem

results of the problem

solvation.

At

of the

and if possible, an 6 pri’bri

of the expected

is carried out at the fourth

and regulating

No 3, (1964).

calculations

place.

and

subjected

to

impacts; then an optimal and

can be established.

The final fifth

stage is characterized

recommendations

implementation

mathematical is widely

by the elaboration

on the practical

of results of the problem’s

methods

solution.

the structural-system by cibernetics,

and computing

analysis

modern machinery

used at all the stages,

The questions

of strict and identical

the concepts:

“the object of research and the subject

of research”

are of particular

demarcation

importance

of the structural-system

of

for the

analysis of

systems due to the fact that

are as a rule confused

or used as

synonyms. In the process of systems analysis the importance results from the necessity

to use general knowledge

and opinion

of research (in this case a town) representation

and description

on the object

but to construct (in a familiar

as the subject of research examined

of

not only

directly

its

system) by a

scholar. In this context

it should be pointed

is just an abstract object

-_ Filosofii.

“The test of the system”

such a demarcation

main system-

this stage it is necessary to give a perspective investigated

changes of

indices are taking

towns and settlement

of the urban system

analysis of selecting

the character

when different

subsystems and elements

these concepts

as “the

of a problem”

Deep understanding thorough

and indices and to identify

of the influence

methodology

of main indices of three-dimensional

objectives,

for optimality

of a

used in the research.

and characteristics

functioning.

may

all the necessary data provision,

stage of a general statement structure

and

However,

of research procedures

The first stage of research can be defined of the definition

of the by their

In the process of realizing

five basic stages of systems

and technique

determination

on the system as a whole

a store of means allowed

in the field of town

of subsystems

in such a way as to make it

possible to give quantitative effects entailed

of concrete

to by a scholar when

to solving the problems making

elements

The choice

is naturally

starting the investigation. There may be identified

The main

of the stage is the expression

regulation

the system, and with the

adhered

by “the differentiation

into its components.

regime of the urban system management

in accord with the main objectives,

while examining

stage is characterized

peculiarity

external

system development

making

The third

analysis of the system “behaviour”

for the

makes it

stimulation.

stage. It implies experimental

the

means of managing

this complicated

of a system-generating

of

system which

It is all

logical and cultural

and extent

characteristics

the urban system is a matter

to express quantitatively

to select means of mathematical,

characteristics

may be as well

of

solution.

possible afterwards

and structural

accepted.

‘Voprosi

as well as the selection

means of the problem

of the system”

links. In this case the

regarded a system-generating journeys.

that

research.

in terms of the

distribution

zones and transportation

estimation

ojectives and criteria

of

in accord with the selected

the aspects of the examined

aspect of the systems object

structure

differ

hypothesis

necessary to attempt

analysis is the system-generatic

decision

working

methodological

system”.’ The fundamental

4/1976

The main goal of the second stage is the elaboration

they actually

when arguing about the properties

7/Number

analogue

out that a system

of a real object

but not an

itself.

The system is what we should know about the object

Geoforum/Volume

7INumber

311

4/I 976

for the solution of some concrete research, projecting, planning and other problems. Thus, strictly speaking such expressions as “a town is a very large and complex system” are of little sense. The complexity and size of the system depend on the quantity of aspects of the examined object that are taken into account when solving a specific problem with a view of achieving its most efficient solution. So concrete real urban areas are the object of research, the systems are the subject of research, and models are concrete representation of the systems expressed symbolically in accord with strict interpretation of the main concepts. However the problem is not confined only to theoretic and methodological aspects of the systems analysis

keeping and systematization of information and statistics data (“data bank” according to foreign terminology) for the practical implementation of the most efficient methods and technical provision. Thus the betterment of the management of urban functioning and development is the most actual task in the framework of the problem of the improvement of the system of governing the national economy. The problem of the management of the largest cities and urban systems is of particular importance. For example, improving the management of Moscow is an extremely urgent task. Specific economic, State and political status of Moscow makes it extremely urgent to improve its management; it is also resulted from the task of the transformation of Moscow into a

application when managing urban development and making adequate decisions.

model communist city.

The increasing importance is being attached year after

characterized by peculiar features that cause the application of management methods differing from

year to the question of providing information necessary for conducting research and projecting the field in of town planning. At present the most important problem is raised. This problem is concerned with the creation of the national automatic system of information collection and processing, for the evaluation, planning and management of national economy. Within the framework of the national task there is also recognised the necessity for elaborating and putting into operation the documentation system and the universal classifi-

The largest city as a socio-economic territorial unit is

those applied in national economy branches. The following are distinctive features of urban areas treated as objects of systems management: availability of various and often discrepant objectives for each element; close economic links between an urban area and neighbouring outskirts; as it was mentioned above an urban area is a territorial link of a large terrotorial unit: district,

cation and coding system of technical and economic information used at all levels of planning, management and projecting. Since 1973 the Central Scientific and Design Institute for Town Planning has partaken of the

These features help to identify trends of research on

elaboration of this problem creating the information

the management of such a city as Moscow. They differ

card file of urban areas at the first stage of work.

in complexity and scale and are the following:

republic, country.

This task is of particular importance in the field of

elaboration of scientific principles of planning and

town planning. Under conditions of ever-increasing level of research and management carried out through

managing and creation of automatic systems of managing municipal economy of Moscow;

the application of computers and automatic systems the

elaboration of scientific and methodological

problem of the collection, keeping, processing,

principles of urban management within the frame-

systematization and classification of a huge amount of

work of administrative and territorial boundaries

various information is undoubtedly of tremendous

and creation of the city-wide system of information

importance. At the present stage no practical problem of management and decision making in the field of town planning may be solved successfully without radical improvement of statistics and information service, methods and means of information system-

collection and processing for the evaluation plan-

atization and processing. The need is recognized for conducting thorough research and experiments in the field, creation of efficient forms of the organization and functioning of specilized centres for the collecting

connected with it;

ning and management of an urban area; elaboration of scientific principles of the scientific management of the functioning and development of Moscow agglomeration including suburbs closely elaboration of scientific principles of the interaction of urban management systems and governing bodies.

312

Geoforum/Volume

The first stage of research on the creation matic systems complex economy

of Moscow

and implies automatic

is being currently

carried

the elaboration

of thirty

in practice

systems for urban,

authorities

inter-branch

of municipal

centres of total

economy.

capacity

operations

three

computing

civil construction,

800 into

The development

stocks etc. and problems planning,

calculations

economy

cities shows limited

tasks of planning

of buildings

systems

and management.

problems

This

of industries

main urban funds, technical

and

condition

etc.

change hamper

the timely

distribution

of the dynamics

and correct evaluation

of environmental

and balanced

of

development

of the

of a town

it is proposed

organizations, population,

housing stock of Moscow, families

etc. The collections

waiting

urban

of data and maintenance

Therefore

and

their turn for dwellings

result in considerable

expenditures.

enterprises

financial

of their

and labour

the data should be collected

once and are used repeatedly

and planning

of objects and com-

being taken

into consideration

it should be stressed that the elaboration of the systems approach

of the town

planning

to urgent

theory

automatic

systems of management

extremely

complicated

problem

and to creating

represents

the solution

and time.

The successful solution

problems

is possible only by mutual

authorities

(administrative

(engineers

and architects),

cians, sociologists,

efforts

of these promising efforts

machinery)

of scholars

and projectors

economists,

mathemati-

specialists in the field of cyber-

netics etc. Such an interdisciplinary mostly

an of which

characteristic

of current

approach

is

research, projecting

and planning.

to create data banks

on the objects of civil construction

the

as a

whole. In this context

of

changes as well as the optimal

of resources for the provision

purposeful

architectural

can be achieved at the cost of considerable

on population

The lack of data and understanding tendencies

In conclusion

of solving highly

and labour resources, certificates organizations,

centres satisfying

and distribution

networks

of principles

of Moscow and other

is caused by the lack of information

computing

by its topology.

as a whole.

of automatic

opportunities

of computing

and perspective

munication

and financial

economy

of powerful

demands of various urban authorities,

urban structure,

housing

and technical

management

of the creation

in the municipal

effective

of material

of the municipal

The experience

existing

in the field of managing

effective

of auto-

ourselves and data

is carried out on the basis of a general scheme with

centres and automatic

trade and public feeding,

the organization between

base.

information

The created

reliability

of such data banks and their wide usage

in the urban management;

banks require the creation

practice.

supply,

The creation

matic systems iterrelated

and

per second are introduced

systems solve the problems

of management

out

Computing

of approximately

needing them for the solvation

4/1976

problems.

and branch

as well as for some establishments

institutions thousand

of the auto-

of managing the municipal

7/Number

by urban organizations

Practical

realization

solution

of theoretical

of the above tasks besides the

results, of necessity, technical

and methodological

skill and knowledge

field of town logy alongside

planning.

wide assimilation new methods

of the specialists

The mastering

with a considerable

and psychological

problems

in the increasing of the level ‘of

breakthroughs

methodological directed

towards

of urban science and practical

and techniques

in the

of new techno-

is required.

a

use of