Xiaoling Zhang

Evaluating the fraction of vegetation cover based on NDVI spatial scale correction model

Vegetation index (VI) is an important variable for retrieving the vegetation biophysical parameters. With different kinds of remote sensing data sets, it is easy to get the VI at different spatial and temporal resolutions. However, the main concern is whether the relationship existing at some scale between the VI and biophysical parameters is still applicable to other scales. This paper first presents a method to correct the spatial scaling effect of NDVI by mathematic analysis, and then analyses NDVI scale sensitivity with data from a spectral database. The result shows that the NDVI obtained by reflectance up‐scaling is larger than the up‐scaled NDVI from NDVI itself in most situations. The NDVI scaling effect is more significant when water exists in a pixel, and increases with the increase in the difference of the sum of visible reflectance and near‐infrared (NIR) reflectance between the vegetation and soil. Finally, a method is proposed to estimate the fraction of vegetation cover (FVC) on the basis of the NDVI spatial scaling correction model. The method is accurate enough to assess the FVC taking into account the scaling effect.

Industrialized housing in China: a coin with two sides

China today is experiencing a time when housing is needed more than ever and one approach satisfying this need is by industrialization -- a streamlined process aimed at generating profits and promoting energy efficiency in the housing sectors. Although large housing programs have been completed in China, few housing projects have been built in an industrialized manner. One contributing factor is that industrialization is not omnipotent and, just as a coin has two sides, not all the outcomes of industrialization are beneficial. In this paper, a preliminary assessment is made of these two sides -- the benefits and hindrances of industrialized housing in China -- by literature review and survey. Case studies are used to verify the questionnaire survey results and from which the advantages and disadvantages involved are compared. The findings indicate the need for formulating policies to encourage industrialized housing in China and for well-planned R&D themes to be implemented simultaneously with industry practices in the near future.

Inner-City Urban Redevelopment in China Metropolises and the Emergence of Gentrification: Case of Yuexiu, Guangzhou

AbstractGentrification is a well-known Western phenomenon involving the upgrading of urban areas, where economic forces compel the original inhabitants to be displaced by a wealthier group of people. Evidence of the gentrification process has been witnessed recently in Shanghai, which is a special case as the state has extended preferential policies not yet enjoyed elsewhere in China. This paper examines a more typical Chinese conurbation, that of the inner city of Yuexiu in Guangzhou, to provide an example of the characteristics of the emerging gentrification generally in China today. Some stylized characteristics are witnessed in several parts of the inner city. Several distinctive features regarding gentrifiers are also observed that are significantly related to the Chinese socialist market economy. The findings in general correspond well with the Shanghai studies in that gentrification is a chance happening that occurs as a result of extensive, new-build residential redevelopment. However, the result ...

Competitiveness assessment for real estate enterprises in china: A model‐procedure

Chinas accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001 has allowed both domestic and overseas real estate enterprises to compete under the same market conditions. This has led to a more rigorous competition in the Chinese real estate market. Understanding this challenge is essential as it enables real estate enterprises to assess their competitiveness properly, and therefore adapt to their competition environment by applying adequate methods to improve their competitiveness. This paper presents an understanding on the applicability of various established competitiveness assessment methods. The characteristics of real estate firms are also presented with the appreciation of the Chinese environment. The study investigates the applicability of various established competitiveness assessment methods for real estate organizations in China considering the characteristics of real estate industry and the comments of the interviewees. The understanding on this applicability leads to the development of a model‐procedure for assessing the competitiveness of real estate firms. The model‐procedure employs various assessment methods in different stages in the process of examining the competitiveness of real estate businesses. The effectiveness of the application of the model‐procedure is evidenced through discussions with senior professionals. Then a case study is presented to illustrate how the model‐procedure can be applied. The findings of the study provide valuable references to study competitiveness assessment in other countrys real estate industries.

An alternative approach of competitiveness evaluation for real estate developers

This paper presents a fuzzy competitiveness rating (FCR) method for measuring the competitiveness of real estate developers with referring to the Chinese real estate industry. Research data used for analysis were collected from a case study in Green Town Company. Research into the assessment of real estate developers’ competitiveness has been limited. The fuzzy competitiveness rating method is proposed as an alternative effective approach in assessing the competitiveness of real estate developers. The FCR method furnishes real estate developers with innovative solution to assess their competitiveness. By understanding properly organizational competitiveness, real estate developers can adopt appropriate actions and strategies to utilize organization resources more effectively to enhance their competitiveness, thus improve their business performance in the real estate market.

Key competitiveness indicators for new real estate developers

Purpose – The paper aims to explore the key competitiveness indicators (KCIs) that provide the guidelines for helping new real estate developers (REDs) achieve competitiveness during their inception stage in which the organisations start their business.Design/methodology/approach – The research was conducted using a combination of various methods. A literature review was undertaken to provide a proper theoretical understanding of organisational competitiveness within REDs activities and developed a framework of competitiveness indicators (CIs) for REDs. The Delphi forecasting method is employed to investigate a group of 20 experts perception on the relative importance between CIs.Findings – The results show that the KCIs of new REDs are capital operation capability, entrepreneurship, land reserve capability, high sales revenue from the first real estate development project, and innovation capability.Originality/value – The five KCIs of new REDs are new. In practical terms, the examination of these KCIs ...

Core competitiveness indicators: a study of real estate developers in China

Purpose – The objective of this paper is to find an effective approach for enabling real estate firms to understand their competitiveness and identify the core competitiveness indicators (CCIs) that influence the development of developers with particular reference to the Chinese real estate business environment.Design/methodology/approach – A combined method including Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) and the fuzzy set method was used to identify CCIs. Research data used for analysis were collected from a questionnaire survey in the Chinese real estate industry.Findings – Analysis results suggest core indicators for assessing real estate developers competitiveness include: good corporate brand awareness and sufficient resources for expansion, have access to a diverse range of capital, appropriate annual land reserve, excellent entrepreneurship, proper risk assessment and response capacity, and green development strategy.Practical implications – The examination of the CCIs furnishes real estate firms with core...

Stochastic Evolution Dynamic of the Rock-Scissors-Paper Game Based on a Quasi Birth and Death Process.

Stochasticity plays an important role in the evolutionary dynamic of cyclic dominance within a finite population. To investigate the stochastic evolution process of the behaviour of bounded rational individuals, we model the Rock-Scissors-Paper (RSP) game as a finite, state dependent Quasi Birth and Death (QBD) process. We assume that bounded rational players can adjust their strategies by imitating the successful strategy according to the payoffs of the last round of the game, and then analyse the limiting distribution of the QBD process for the game stochastic evolutionary dynamic. The numerical experiments results are exhibited as pseudo colour ternary heat maps. Comparisons of these diagrams shows that the convergence property of long run equilibrium of the RSP game in populations depends on population size and the parameter of the payoff matrix and noise factor. The long run equilibrium is asymptotically stable, neutrally stable and unstable respectively according to the normalised parameters in the payoff matrix. Moreover, the results show that the distribution probability becomes more concentrated with a larger population size. This indicates that increasing the population size also increases the convergence speed of the stochastic evolution process while simultaneously reducing the influence of the noise factor.

A regional construction R&D evaluation system for China

Expenditure on R&D in China’s construction industry has been relatively low in comparison with many developed countries for a number of years—a situation considered to be a major barrier to the industry’s competitiveness in general and unsatisfactory as regards industry development of the 31 regions involved. A major problem with this is the lack of a sufficiently sophisticated method of objectively evaluating R&D activity in what are quite complex circumstances considering the size and regional differences that exist in this part of the world. A regional construction R&D evaluation system (RCRES) is presented, aimed at rectifying the situation. This is based on 12 indicators drawn from the Chinese Government’s R&D Inventory of Resources in consultation with a small group of experts in the field, and further factor analysed into three groups. From this, the required evaluation is obtained by a simple formula. Examination of the results provides a ranking list of the R&D performance of each of the 31 regions, indicating a general disproportion between coastal and inland regions and highlighting regions receiving special emphasis or currently lacking in development. The understanding on this is vital for the future of China’s construction industry.

On the External Driving Force of Industrial land Prices in the Pearl River Delta: A Game Model Analysis

It has been over 20 years that land was taken into the economic market as a factor of production. However, as it is influenced by the planned economic system in the past, the administrative intervention of governments has brought about the “market failure” on the allocation of the industrial land For all these reasons, a lot of industrial lands have been sold at very low prices. The losses of state-owned land and extensive land use have caused a lot of negative consequences to industrial land market and the management of industrial land. This paper took the perspective of the international game to investigate the industrial land price formation mechanism of the Pearl River Delta. Firstly, the conditions of industrial land in the Pearl River Delta and Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia are analyzed to explore the industrial land prices in recent years. This is followed by a game theory model of international industrial land prices. In this way, this paper found the low-cost strategy from the governments should be prevented to avoid high social cost. Finally, relevant policy suggestions are put forward to encourage the appropriate use of industrial land use in China.