Erik Stubkjær

A review of methodologies used in research on cadastral development

Abstract World-wide, much attention has been given to cadastral development. As a consequence of experiences made during recent decades, several authors have stated the need of research in the domain of cadastre and proposed methodologies to be used. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the acceptance of research methodologies needed for cadastral development, and thereby enhance theory in the cadastral domain. The paper reviews nine publications on cadastre and identifies the methodologies used. The review focuses on the institutional, social, political and economic aspects of cadastral development, rather than on the technical aspects. The main conclusion of this paper is that the methodologies used are largely those of the social sciences. That agrees with the notion that cadastre relates as much to people and institutions, as it relates to land, and that cadastral systems are shaped by social, political and economic conditions, as by technology. Since the geodetic survey profession has been the keeper of the cadastre, geodetic surveyors will have to deal ever more with social science matters, a fact that universities will have to consider.

Design research for cadastral systems

Abstract Cadastral information is a reference data component, of any spatial data infrastructure (SDI). During recent years, several organisational and individual research projects have investigated the cadastral domain. Two paradigms characterize much of this research and their methodologies: a behavioural paradigm or, alternatively, a ‘design research’ paradigm. While some efforts have focused on behavioural research methodologies, design research methodologies have not been addressed by the cadastral, geographical information system (GIS) and SDI research community so far. The present article, therefore, aims to demonstrate usage of the design research paradigm through a methodological analysis of recent cadastral research, which addresses information system issues and within this context, designs information system artefact. The analysis is based on five doctoral dissertations and an array of papers representing the development of the ISO/WD 19152.3 Land Administration Domain Model. The analysis is supplemented with a review of related theory. The main contribution of this article is an explication of a design research methodology and a theoretical framework for research in cadastral information, cadastral systems and the units of property rights reflected in these systems.

The World Wide Web and University Education in Remote Sensing

Abstract The World Wide Web (YAW) has a potential for improving university education in remote sensing, as the WWW technology may be applied in a way which reduces the amount of resources which are needed to achieve a certain educational objective. The paper presents a survey of this new technology. The main components of the WWW technology are outlined. Reference is made to information resources which are available through the WWW which relates to remote sensing. The technology can be applied not only by individual staff members, but, also, according to decision at the departmental or faculty level. The use of information technology for education is a research field in its own right. This research field is presented as a basis for suggestion of decision issues and decision criteria regarding the use of the WWW for education in remote sensing. The paper may have an European bias.

Core immovable property vocabulary for European linked land administration

Abstract Public information regarding immovable property is recorded in national registries, including cadastre and land registry, building and dwelling (or address) registry, and property tax registry. An efficient land administration system is supposed to orchestrate these registries for cross-border and cross-sector land administration services. The recent developments in Semantic Web technologies and the Linked Data approach provide an efficient and flexible solution for web based integration of datasets recorded in these registries. The mentioned registries were specified according to different data models and standards which lead to interoperability problems. The concerned public organisations therefore need a common data model that clearly identifies the recording units of these registries and their core attributes, as well as relationships between them. The present research responds to this requirement by developing a common vocabulary, a Core Immovable Property Vocabulary, as an extension to the e-Government Core Vocabularies (version 1·0) issued recently by the European Commission (EC). The Core Immovable Property Vocabulary is developed by simplifying and capturing the minimal characteristics of complex domain standards and data specifications, thereby enabling a plain representation of immovable property units and their core attributes that are needed for land administration processes. It thus allows for the publication of land administration data sets within the Resource Description Framework (RDF), and renders the integration of land administration datasets with other registries such as address and civil registries encoded according to the e-Government Core Vocabularies. The vocabulary is the result of an individual research effort, carried out by the authors of the present article, and has recently been hosted by the EC ISA (Interoperability Solutions for European Public Administration) Joinup platform as a semantic asset (see https://joinup.ec.europa.eu/asset/cipv/description). The main contribution is the introduction of the Linked Data approach to the land administration domain which may make land administration data sets more accessible via the Web.

Cadastre and Economic Development

Why are some countries economically much more successful than others? In search for empirically founded explanations, recent research investigates institutions in the sense of institutional economics, for example in terms of level of democracy, and of protection of property rights. The role of rights in land is so far only partly understood, due to the multifarious land tenure systems. The chapter provides a review and discussion of recent research on this issue.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL, MULTI-PURPOSE SPATIAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS - DANISH EXPERIENCES IN A THEORETICAL CONTEXT

Abstract Important aspects of recent Danish development of spatial information systems cannot be described with reference to existing textbooks. The purpose of this paper is to outline an ampler theoretical basis for the development of spatial information systems. Several spatial frames of reference are presented, and their relevance is demonstrated. The use of place names is related to the concept of territoriality and to the set of reference frames. The conflict between different political-administrative bodies is considered, and the concepts — actor, political network, and exchange of resources — are applied to describe this context for development. Based on the mentioned concepts, some elements of a development strategy are presented.

Report on the International Conference on Computer-based Learning in Science, Vienna, 18-21 December 1993

SUMMARY The report focuses primarily on efforts by university institutions in the field of computer-based learning (lCBL), research in courseware development, assessment of authoring tools, and evidence from experiences with computer assisted learning, and mentions a few of the many software packages presented. The report alludes to a bibliographic enquiry into the conferences referred to by the papers from the CBLIS Vienna conference.