International Journal of Human Capital in Urban Management

Abstract BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Urban managers and local authorities tried to provide public health services to vulnerable groups and establish urban justice during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research aims to evaluate the vaccination services of vulnerable groups at their houses in Tehran during the COVID-19 pandemic through critical rethinking. Then it provides policies for developing an in-house healthcare services system for vulnerable groups.
METHODS: This study applies a multi-methodology and multi-paradigm exploratory approach to design a systemic intervention by using qualitative and quantitative methods. For this purpose, the activists involved in the vaccination services of vulnerable groups in Tehran are primarily interviewed based on Critical Systems Heuristics methodology, and then the responses to the boundary questions in four basic areas, including motivation, control, knowledge, and legitimacy, have been analyzed. Afterward, the Strategic Assumptions Surfacing and Testing methodology, a systems approach for learning in complex problem situations, is used, along with the participation of urban decision-makers, to reveal the strategic assumptions for the development of an in-house vaccination services system for vulnerable populations. Finally, after dialectical discussions, system development solutions have been synthesized and integrated, and based on the importance level and certainty of the right assumption, certain planning regions have been detected.
FINDINGS: Generally, healthcare services to vulnerable groups during the pandemic must be redefined based on the boundaries of control, knowledge, and legitimacy. According to the findings, 34 strategic defaults were identified and 17 defaults were proposed in the secure planning area, including: redefining the provision of healthcare services to vulnerable groups during the pandemics; providing services to all vulnerable groups during disasters through Tehran’s joint emergency response call center; providing stable financial resources to perform services to vulnerable populations during the pandemics; collecting, updating, and integrating the related databases (such as elderlies, patients, people with disabilities, etc.); training service providers (e.g. call center operators, vaccinators, etc.) in accordance with the specific situations of vulnerable groups; developing guidelines for providing in-house services to vulnerable people; obliging the managers to be accountable for obeying protective laws relating to vulnerable groups in disaster; identifying the potential capacities of the private sectors and nongovernmental organizations; considering a medical support team; consulting with advisors and caregivers of vulnerable groups; using temperature recording devices to ensure the cold chain of vaccines; and setting up local disaster management support bases in order to assure the agility of the provided services to the vulnerable populations in Tehran.
CONCLUSION: The current study deals with the critical rethinking of providing health services to vulnerable populations during a pandemic, by designing a systemic intervention. Besides finding learning fields from the COVID-19 experiences, this research explores the strategies for redesigning and developing a more efficient healthcare service system for vulnerable groups in disasters like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In the context of private school teachers in Indonesia, job satisfaction is considered a key factor in influencing teachers to remain in their positions within organizations. This study aims to examine the impact of job satisfaction on turnover intention with organizational commitment as an intervening variable among private school teachers, specifically at Muhammadiyah schools in Kapanewon Godean, Indonesia.
METHODS: The research method employed is a survey, with questionnaires distributed to 274 respondents. Of these, 205 completed questionnaires were successfully collected and analyzed. Data analysis was performed through Structural Equation Modeling utilizing SmartPLS 3.0 software.
FINDINGS: The results of the study indicate that job satisfaction has a significant positive effect on organizational commitment (β = 0.649; t-value = 12.705, p < 0.005), which in turn has a significant negative effect on turnover intention (β = -0.473; t-value = 6.674, p < 0.005). Additionally, organizational commitment was found to mediate the relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intention (β = -0.307; t-value = 5.607, p < 0.005). In other words, an increase in job satisfaction not only directly reduces teachers’ intention to leave their jobs but also does so indirectly by enhancing their commitment to the organization.
CONCLUSION: This study highlights the importance of job satisfaction and organizational commitment in retaining high-quality teachers at Muhammadiyah schools. By enhancing job satisfaction, these schools can foster stronger organizational commitment, which, in turn, significantly reduces turnover intentions among teachers. These findings suggest that Muhammadiyah schools should prioritize creating supportive work environments that bolster teacher satisfaction and commitment, as this approach is key to sustaining a dedicated and effective teaching workforce.

Abstract BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Green public financial management in decentralised fiscal systems is frequently constrained by limited administrative capacity to integrate fiscal, ecological, and digital expertise in expenditure verification. This study aimed to design and evaluate an Automated Ecological Verification framework intended to support fiscal-ecological verification capacity by embedding rule-based verification functions within budget information system architecture rather than relying exclusively on specialised personnel.
METHODS: A Design Science Research Methodology comprising six sequential development steps was applied to design a Semantic Translation Layer enabling real-time, bidirectional interoperability between fiscal expenditure classification codes and an ecological outcome registry. The artefact was evaluated through simulation using a synthetic regional government budget dataset of 240 transactions distributed across five programme categories. Ground-truth labels were assigned independently of the engine's classification output, and projected outcomes were assessed against a manual verification baseline and a deterministic environmental quality index model. No expert practitioner validation, user acceptance testing, field piloting, or real APBD transaction data were used at this stage.
FINDINGS: The AEV validation engine achieved an average classification accuracy of 97.1%, ranging from 95.8% to 97.9% across programme categories, and correctly identified all simulated instances in which environmentally suggestive expenditure labels concealed technical specifications that violated predefined ecological thresholds. Twenty-two of the 240 transactions (9.2%) required structured human adjudication. Under the Full Compliance scenario, the model produced an upper-bound projected environmental quality index improvement of 8.5 points. These findings represent simulated classification performance and scenario-based projections rather than observed administrative, fiscal, or environmental outcomes.
CONCLUSION: The findings demonstrate the technical feasibility of the proposed AEV architecture under controlled simulated conditions. The framework may reduce reliance on routine manual verification while preserving specialised human judgement for context-dependent cases; however, the present study does not establish improvements in staff workload, capability, decision quality, organisational learning, or operational governance effectiveness. These outcomes require validation through real APBD data, expert assessment, user testing, and field implementation.

Abstract BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In recent years, sustainable tourism has gained significant attention due to integrating economic, social, and environmental goals into tourism development. Bangladesh, with its diverse cultural and geographical aspects, faces challenges in its tourism sector. To tackle these issues, a comprehensive and sustainable model for tourism development is needed, incorporating sustainability into all development and management phases. The study aims to develop a sustainable tourism development model for Bangladesh's socioeconomic and environmental resources.
METHODS: The study uses a qualitative research method guided by a review of the available secondary data – policies, literature, and domestic and international case studies. This study also applies the thematic analysis of the data gathered in the study method to address a policy gap in Bangladesh's tourism sustainability by identifying a whole system policy strategy.
FINDINGS: The sustainable tourism development model suggests cooperation between government agencies, local community members, the commercial sector, and non-governmental organizations. Environmental Impact Assessments, conservation, and climate change mitigation should be included in tourist management. The approach emphasizes community empowerment, non-uniform tourist benefits, and cultural conservation. The study suggests that Bangladesh's sustainable tourism development should be dynamic, flexible, and contingent on sustainability principles to its fullest (100%).
CONCLUSION: The sustainable tourism development model is a holistic approach to sustainable, inclusive, and equitable tourism policies, focusing on ensuring economic growth, environmental conservation, and social equity integration. By involving stakeholders and promoting community participation, the model addresses concerns about power, strategy, and interests, and promotes principles of eco-tourism, smart tourism, and climate resilience. This research contributes to a significant policy formulation for the tourism industry in Bangladesh by proposing a sustainable tourism development model.

Abstract ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Rapid urbanization has significantly impacted land use and land cover, disrupting ecosystems and threatening ecological security. This study assessed the ecological security impacts of land use changes in the Lavasanat watershed from 2000 to 2040 using scenario modeling and landscape metrics. Findings show that urban expansion significantly reduces ecological security, with severe impacts under pessimistic scenarios. Sustainable urban planning policies are essential to mitigate these effects.
METHODS:  Land use maps for 2000, 2010, and 2020 were created using Landsat imagery and processed with Environment for Visualising Images and Geographic Information System tools. The Markov chain and Cellular Automata-Markov models predicted land use changes to 2040 under current, pessimistic, realistic, and optimistic scenarios with IDRISI software. Landscape metrics, including the number of patches, landscape shape index, interspersion and juxtaposition index, class area, percentage of landscape, and largest patch index, were calculated at class and landscape levels using FRAGSTATS. The Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs model simulated ecological outcomes for each scenario.
FINDINGS: The pessimistic scenario showed a 32% increase in built-up land cover, with an 18% reduction in patch numbers and a 12% decline in landscape shape complexity. Meanwhile, the percentage of built-up land cover rose, forming large patches (the largest patch index rose by 28%). These changes disrupted the watershed’s structure and reduced ecologically valuable areas.
CONCLUSION: The findings reveal that urban expansion significantly threatens ecological security, particularly under pessimistic scenarios. This study provides a novel framework for assessing ecological risks by integrating landscape metrics with scenario modeling. The results emphasise the need for sustainable urban planning to mitigate environmental degradation and enhance resilience. Structural landscape changes, including reduced patch complexity and increased fragmentation, were key drivers of ecological decline

Abstract BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This research explores the impact of urbanization on informal workers in Surabaya, focusing on street vendors and day laborers. Urbanization in Surabaya has triggered significant economic and social transformations, created new job opportunities, and also increased challenges for informal workers.
METHODS: The study employs a qualitative approach using in-depth interviews and participatory observation to collect data from informal workers.
FINDINGS: The findings indicate that 78% of informal workers experience significant income volatility, while 65% report facing high competition and 72% lack access to essential resources. To cope, 68% extend their working hours, and 54% utilize social networks for support. Additionally, 61% of respondents benefit from government and non-profit support through training and economic empowerment programs, which has led to a 35% improvement in their skill levels. This study underscores the necessity for inclusive policies, as well as increased support for informal workers, to mitigate urbanization’s challenges and improve their overall quality of life.
CONCLUSION: This research is expected to significantly contribute to understanding the dynamics of urbanization and its impact on informal workers, as well as offer practical solutions to improve their quality of life. Community support and optimized government policies can help address these challenges and create a more inclusive and sustainable urban environment.
 

Abstract BACKGROUN AND OBJECTIVES: Ride-hailing is a term to describe booking rides and paying for car services through a smartphone app with a Transportation Network Company. As an innovation in the ride-hailing investigation in Iran, this paper is sought to analyze the influence of individual's demographic characteristics on their travel mode choice between ride-hailing, traditional taxi and private car. For this purpose, questionnaires in six different statuses have been designed, and 414 questionnaires have been completed in 22 districts of Tehran metropolitan region.
METHODS: To check the utility of choosing private car and traditional taxi compared to ride-hailing, on short, medium, and, long travel distances with commuting and non-commuting purposes in the peak hours of morning and evening, the six multinomial logit models have been done by considering the ride-hailing option as reference alternative, and the private car and traditional taxi options as the first and second `
FINDING:Initially, six logit models were generated, which fitted models are all appropriate. All of the variables used in these models in choosing private car or traditional taxis compared to ride-hailing in different models were statistically significance. But, gender, household dimension, and individuals' educational level didn’t affect the individual's choice.
CONCLUSION: The results showed that ride-hailing is more acceptable to younger people, and high-income people attract more to it. Therefore, ride-hailing services can be considered as a wealthy phenomenon and for the young generation. In addition, given the 67% response of individuals incline to use ride-hailing services in a shared way, because of the interest of individuals to use this mode of travel due to its lower cost in some situations, which can be considered as a separate mode of transportation.

Abstract The study was conducted with the objective of selecting suitable site for urban green space development of Arba Minch town in Ethiopia using geographic information system and remote sensing based multi criterion analysis. To produce suitable site, four parameters were considered, these are slope, land use land cover, distance to the main river and distance to road. Supervised classification followed by reclassification were done to classify suitable land use land cover for urban green space, digital elevation model data were used to generate slope suitability and buffering with different distance were used to produce suitable site using distance to the road and distance to the main river parameters’. Although a variety of techniques exist for the development of weight, one of the most promising techniques was the Pairwise Comparison Matrix in the context of a decision making process known as the Analytical Hierarchy Process and ratings were provided on a nine-point continuous scale, which ranges from 1 to 9. The most important parameters’ to predict the location of urban green space in the study area were distance to the main river followed by distance to the road as the experts’ rate it. Although, slope and land use land cover parameters’ are very important, they do not seem to have noticeable effect on urban green space development as of the experts’ response. So, on the bases of the ranks given by the experts the highest value was calculated for river which was 51.28%. The result shows that high suitability accounts 36.3 % of the total area, 45.5 % of the area is moderately suitable and the remaining 18.5 % of the town is not suitable for urban green space.

Abstract BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Increasing investor attention to sustainability has intensified the need to understand how environmental practices and financial flexibility influence firm value, particularly in resource-based industries. Previous findings remain inconsistent, while the governance role of institutional ownership has not been sufficiently examined. This study investigates the effects of green accounting and financial slack on firm value and assesses whether institutional ownership strengthens these relationships. METHODS: This study used a quantitative panel-data design covering 309 firm-year observations from 108 resource-based public companies in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand during 2022–2024. Data were obtained from annual reports, sustainability reports, Refinitiv, and official stock-exchange sources. Firm value was measured using Tobin’s Q, green accounting using the Environmental Pillar Score, financial slack using operating cash flow divided by total assets, and institutional ownership using the percentage of institutionally held shares. A random-effects model with firm-clustered robust standard errors was employed. FINDINGS: Green accounting showed a positive but statistically non-significant relationship with firm value, while financial slack had a positive and statistically significant effect. Return on assets also showed a significant positive effect. Institutional ownership did not significantly moderate either the green accounting–firm value relationship or the financial slack–firm value relationship. CONCLUSION: Financial slack appears to be a more robust determinant of firm value than green accounting. Institutional ownership alone does not necessarily strengthen governance monitoring, indicating the importance of institutional engagement quality rather than ownership proportion alone.