International Journal of Human Capital in Urban Management

Abstract ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:
Today's illegal immigrant crisis in general and the illegal Afghan immigrant crisis, in particular, are considered a continuous challenge of the current century since the mass migration of people from their country of origin has exponentially increased. Afghanistan has been one of the biggest refugee and humanitarian challenges in recent decades, with continuous suffering for millions of Afghans. This affected neighboring countries, including Pakistan. One million illegal Afghan immigrants reside in Pakistan without legal documentation. Such a huge number of immigrants negatively affects the social and environmental factors of receiving and host communities.
METHODS
This study employs a mixed research method to investigate the socioenvironmental implications of illegal Afghan immigrants on the host society of Peshawar, Pakistan. Surveys and interviews were used for data collection, and the data were analyzed thematically and integrated (triangulated).
FINDING
The study revealed a significant pressure on social services such as healthcare, education, employment, and housing in the host society. The burden on the healthcare system, pressure on the education system, and lack of employment opportunities and affordable housing were direct consequences. Social tension due to a sense of frustration and competition over resources was formed. Environmental degradation such as pollution, deforestation, and land degradation resulting from resource strain and overpopulation with illegality was also found. Besides The study critically assesses the responses of the government, NGOs, and community, emphasizing significant gaps in policy and implementation.
CONCLUSION
The findings highlight the need for an integrative approach that addresses these challenges through targeted policy reforms and that improves community engagement. This study advances the present literature on migration by providing novel insights into the socio-environmental dynamics of illegal immigration, offering an actionable recommendation for stakeholders and policymakers in similar contexts.
 

Abstract BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Urban entrepreneurship is recognized as a significant driver of economic growth and innovation, particularly in urban areas. Entrepreneurs in urban environments face various challenges that can impede their success and hinder urban economic development. This research aims to identify and analyze these key barriers urban entrepreneurs face to provide insights into areas requiring intervention and support for sustainable urban economic growth.
METHODS: A literature review identified a comprehensive list of 30 challenges covering various aspects such as access to capital, regulatory complexity, market saturation, and competition from big corporations. These challenges were then analyzed using fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory analysis to assess their interrelationships and their relative importance in influencing urban entrepreneurship and economic development.
FINDINGS: The study identifies several critical barriers to urban entrepreneurship and economic development, including high operating costs, regulatory complexity, market saturation, and infrastructure deficiencies. Social inequality, economic instability, lack of government support, technological disruption, and competition from big corporations also emerged as significant challenges. These findings underscore the need for tailored interventions in urban management to foster entrepreneurial growth and support sustainable economic development. The results from the study, with values ranging from 5.7 to 12.8, highlight key factors impacting entrepreneurial growth in urban environments. Access to capital (6.0-12.5), regulatory complexity (5.8-11.5), market saturation (6.1-12.8), and infrastructure deficiencies (5.7-12.5) were identified as crucial obstacles. Understanding these challenges and their interconnections provides valuable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and stakeholders to develop targeted strategies and interventions to support urban entrepreneurship and foster sustainable economic growth. These findings provide insights for urban management and policy interventions to support entrepreneurship and foster sustainable economic growth in cities.
CONCLUSION: This study's findings underscore the importance of addressing key challenges faced by urban entrepreneurs to create a conducive environment for their success and promote sustainable urban economic development. By implementing targeted policies and interventions to mitigate these barriers, policymakers and stakeholders can foster innovation, create job opportunities, and enhance the vibrancy and resilience of urban economies. This research contributes to the body of knowledge on urban entrepreneurship and provides practical implications for promoting economic growth and prosperity in urban areas.
 

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 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 BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The reliance on fossil fuels has led to significant environmental pollution, directly impacting public health and making breathing difficult for many. Also, the high density of environmentally damaging gases from fossil fuels in the earth's atmosphere has prevented heat from escaping from the earth's surroundings and intensified greenhouse effects. At the same time, it should be noted that oil and its derivatives are considered valuable national assets of the country, and their non-optimal consumption will cause irreparable losses. As a result, experts have suggested that clean energy must replace fossil fuels to reduce environmental pollutants.
METHODS: This study employs a comprehensive methodology involving library studies, including academic articles and government reports, and then a multi-criteria decision-making analysis based on an analytical network process, a Delphi questionnaire, and the participation of experts to identify the main criteria for sustainable urban development using biomass energy. These criteria include ecological limits, social sustainability and higher quality of life, justice and equality, social profit and loss, renewable energy sources, pollution reduction, and economic progress. The authors used the Analytic network process method and Super Decisions software to rank these criteria.
FINDINGS: Based on the Super Decisions program, social benefits and losses have equal weight and are 1.0, the highest ranking. Ecological constraints are ranked second, with a weight of 0.787998. Social sustainability weighs 0.787509, placing third. Justice and equality weigh 0.455988, ranking fourth. This indicates that the principles of sustainable urban development are important and successful, as assessed by this study.
CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes the importance of developing biomass energy in Iran, particularly in Mashhad, to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, enhance social sustainability, and improve environmental health. Despite Iran’s potential in biogas production, the abundance of fossil fuels and lack of a unified authority have hindered progress. The research identifies key factors for sustainable urban development through biomass, such as social sustainability, ecological limits, and justice. Future research should include field studies, policy analyses, and economic assessments to create a more comprehensive framework for biomass energy development in Iran.

Abstract BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Doha, Qatar, is committed to becoming a Sustainable Smart City as part of its Qatar National Vision 2030. This transformation is vital for bolstering regional economic resilience, advancing environmental sustainability, and promoting smart governance. Despite growing global interest in Sustainable Smart Cities, limited research specifically addresses Doha’s unique challenges in this domain. Understanding these barriers is essential for informed policymaking and effective urban planning. This study seeks to identify and evaluate the primary obstacles impeding Doha's Sustainable Smart City development, with a focus on economic, technological, social, governance, environmental, and regulatory dimensions.
METHODS: A mixed-methods approach was used to analyze barriers to Sustainable Smart City development in Doha. The study began with a literature review to establish a theoretical foundation and identify global and regional challenges. This was enriched by qualitative input from Qatari stakeholders, including urban planners, policymakers, technology experts, and public-private sector representatives. Partial Least Squares Path Modelling was then employed to prioritize barriers by evaluating their impact on Sustainable Smart City progress. This approach combined theoretical insights with practical, context-specific expertise for a robust analysis.
FINDINGS:  This research identifies key barriers to Doha's transition into a Sustainable Smart City: economic (25%), technological (20%), social (20%), governance (15%), regulatory (10%), and environmental (10%). Economic barriers, particularly high infrastructure costs, are the most significant, followed by technological readiness and social awareness. Governance issues, characterized by bureaucratic inefficiencies, complicate development, while regulatory barriers stem from outdated policies. Environmental challenges, including climate-related issues like water scarcity, further hinder progress. Compared to Abu Dhabi, Doha lags in regulatory frameworks (Doha 3, Abu Dhabi 4), public awareness (Doha 2.5, Abu Dhabi 3.5), and technological infrastructure (Doha 2.8, Abu Dhabi 4.2). Addressing these barriers through tailored strategies is essential for advancing Doha's Sustainable Smart City vision and enhancing public participation.
CONCLUSION: To address these challenges, the study recommends fostering public-private partnerships to secure funding, developing Sustainable Smart city-specific regulations to improve governance, and launching awareness campaigns to enhance community participation. Targeted investments in advanced technological infrastructure and streamlined coordination among governing bodies are also crucial. By implementing these strategies, Doha can overcome its challenges and achieve its vision of becoming a sustainable smart city aligned with its Qatar National Vision 2030.
 

Abstract BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The current research aims to design a desirable model of human resource management to attract the satisfaction of tribes and provide a descriptive model that illustrates how the functions of human resource management are formed through various processes such as recruitment, promotion, performance evaluation, service compensation, and enhancing the capabilities of managers and employees in the organization of Iranian tribes with a customer-oriented approach.
METHODS: First, the dimensions of the concept of human resource management with a customer-oriented approach were extracted through reviewing documents, materials, and library studies. Then, the most important dimensions and influential factors were identified through interviews with 18 experts using a judgmental sampling method.
FINDINGS: The result of qualitative data analysis included 2 concepts, 9 dimensions, and 64 components presented and explained as a model. The desirable model of human resource management aiming to attract the satisfaction of tribes consists of 9 dimensions (organizing theme) in the form of two comprehensive themes, strategies, processes, and functions of human resources (human resource supply, training and development, service compensation, job analysis, and performance management) and organizational direction (customer-oriented organizational strategy, customer-oriented organizational structure, customer-oriented organizational culture, and two-way communication channels) was designed.
CONCLUSION: Based on the research findings, to attract the satisfaction of the tribal community and improve communication with the tribal leaders, focusing solely on the human resource system is not sufficient. Instead, all aspects of the human resource environment should be aligned with the functions of human resources and the orientation of tribal leaders.

Abstract ABSTRACT:
The provision of infrastructural services in developing countries like Nigeria has not received adequate delivery in the past decades. This situation is growing alarming given the present economic downturn, political manipulations, and uncontrolled population increase, especially in the urban areas remains a major hindering factor. Communities are undergoing regression in countless facets of development. Community participation in the provision of infrastructure stands as a potential option for the citizens to utilize effectively rather than depending hopelessly on the government. Community participation maintains equitable and communal assets in providing a basic need within the community.  The government, whose role is to provide the essential infrastructures and basic social amenities, has been overwhelmed and termed incompetent in this aspect. This study aimed at revisiting the need for community participation in the provision of infrastructures. The objectives identified potential determinants, especially in Nigeria's situation, limiting public citizens' involvement. The study adheres to a desk research study method. This approach gives access to converge information from available sources, which also includes hand-searching of grey literature and related articles. Study findings revealed a very low level of community participation practices exposed from few data available in the literature. However, there is a paucity of empirical studies on the hindering glitches towards participation; therefore, this review filled this gap in the literature. Moreover, continuity in the participation process at this time is needed given the potential embedded in infrastructure provision and quality of life. Recommendations focussed on introducing sustainable approaches and tools as a remedial factor in attaining success in community participation.

Abstract Atmospheric corrosion poses a significant challenge to steel structures in urban environments, severely impacting their safety and durability. This paper examines effective processes for mitigating atmospheric corrosion risk and suitable strategies for sustainable development. One of the most important and effective methods for combating corrosion, particularly atmospheric corrosion in polluted cities like Tehran, is the use of protective coatings. These coatings, such as epoxy and polyurethane, act as barriers against moisture and harmful agents, preventing damage to structures. Additionally, cathodic protection techniques are explored as an effective means of preventing electrochemical corrosion. By utilizing sacrificial anodes, these techniques significantly reduce the detrimental effects of corrosion. The selection of appropriate materials, considering economic costs and availability, also plays a crucial role in minimizing corrosion risk. For instance, the use of stainless steel and corrosion-resistant alloys can enhance structural performance under harsh conditions. Furthermore, design requirements and the reduction of vulnerabilities in structures must be considered to extend their lifespan. The results indicate that incorporating these strategies into urban planning and design can enhance the durability of metal infrastructure, contributing to a safer and more sustainable urban life. These measures not only help preserve investments but also improve the quality of life for citizens.