GIS in local government: some findings from Great Britain

Abstract

Local government is one of the most important groups of users of geographical information systems (GIS). The significant interest amongst users and the varied demands to be made of GIS have stimulated discussion in many countries. This article presents some of the findings of a research project which is currently exploring the impact of GIS on British local government. The discussion examines the results of a comprehensive survey of all 514 local authorities in Great Britain. These findings provide an overview of GIS adoption in relation to type of local authority and geographical location. Particular attention is focused on the type of systems which have been adopted, the take-up of GIS over time, the software and hardware being utilized and the perceived benefits and problems associated with GIS. The results demonstrate that take-up has been most pronounced in the larger authorities, particularly in the southern part of Great Britain, with the most popular combination of equipment being Arc/Info software and workstations. For those authorities presently implementing a GIS, the technology is expected to improve existing capabilities for information processing rather than enhance decision-making or help achieve savings. In seeking these benefits authorities are encountering considerable problems which include basic technical difficulties in getting the equipment to work, data-related issues surrounding the collection, standardization and maintenance of geographical information, and profound organizational considerations associated with the introduction of information technology into complex environments. There is an urgent need for in-depth case studies which evaluate the experiences of users in relation to the vital process of implementation.     

How effective are GIS in practice? A case study of British local government

Abstract

GIS have received increasing attention in recent years, particularly in local government. Despite the claims in the literature about the potential of the technology, to date there is still little information on the impact GIS applications are having on the organizations in which they are being implemented. With these considerations in mind this paper presents an evaluation of the findings of twelve case studies which were undertaken in a variety of British local government contexts during 1991 and 1992.

The evaluation of the findings of the case studies is divided into two parts. The first part indicates the limited impact GIS has had on the local authorities investigated even after at least two years experience. Given these findings the second part seeks to identify the issues which appear to be responsible for inhibiting the effective implementation of GIS in British local government. Overall it is suggested that some organizational cultures are inherently receptive and able to sustain the development of innovations such as GIS. However, whilst very few organizations are inherently innovative it was possible to identify four factors which appeared to enhance the chances of success. These are simple applications producing information which is fundamental to the work of potential users, user directed implementation involving the participation of all the stakeholders in the project, an awareness of the limitations of the organization with respect to the range of available resources, and a high degree of stability with respect to the general organizational environment, or alternatively an ability to cope with change. As a result the evaluation indicates that if GIS are to be effectively implemented much greater consideration must be given to the impact of organizational issues.     

GIS and remote sensing integration for environmental applications

Abstract

The combined use of remotely-sensed images and vector GIS data has received considerable interest in recent years. This review article discusses the historical move towards closer integration of remote sensing and GIS technologies and the requirements of integrated software systems to enable remotely-sensed data to be combined with vector datasets for maximum effect. The benefits of integration to users of both GIS and remote sensing for environmental applications are reviewed and some thoughts are given on terminology and future directions in this field.     

Recent developments in geographical information systems in the U.K.

Abstract

This paper summarizes the numerous developments in geographical information systems (GIS) in the United Kingdom over the past few years, covering the development of systems, the creation of data bases, the elucidation of user needs, the education and training of staff and the role adopted by government. The review is organized by the different sectors now actively involved in GIS.     

Free and open source GIS in South America: political inroads and local advocacy

ABSTRACT

Geographical information systems (GIS) practitioners worldwide enjoy a growing array of free and open source software (FOSS) options. This software has expanded the accessibility of GIS in economically developing countries while fostering local technical expertise. This article reviews FOSS GIS uptake and advocacy in South America, especially how it relates to a climate of political friendliness toward FOSS in the region. The use or absence of FOSS GIS is assessed in public-facing web maps in South America, first at the national government level, and then at the provincial level using Argentina as a country of study. Local technical support groups and software development initiatives surrounding FOSS GIS in South America are then summarized. Finally, three case studies are presented of notable efforts to build FOSS GIS technical communities at the local level: the FOSSGIS Brasil online magazine, the Geoinquietos Argentina professional network, and the FOSS.4GIS.GOV conference in Brazil. A study of the leaders, dynamics, and practices of these groups can inform others in similar circumstances around the world who are trying to promote FOSS GIS adoption, development, skills, and services.     

Is GIS appropriate technologyquest;

Abstract

Appropriate technology (AT) has become an integral part of the programmes for decentralized regional development in the Third World. ‘Appropriate’ techniques are usually low in capital costs; they can be maintained without a high level of expertise; and they do not involve patents, expensive copyrights and royalties. By these criteria a commercial geographical information system (GIS) is not an appropriate technology to be used in decentralized development However, the use of local renewable resources involves the adoption of end-use analysis for matching end-uses to specific sources so as to minimize the consumption of material and energy (i.e., minimize entropy). This matching requires much information which leads to what may be called the 'information-entropy trade-off; minimization of entropy requires an inverse increase in information. In this respect computers and GIS have an important contribution to make to decentralized regional planning. Drawing on a case study in Sri Lanka, this paper presents some ideas on how to incorporate GIS into local-level planning information systems.     

Resource use in manual digitization A case study of the Patuxent basin geographical information system database

Abstract

In the face of limited and declining budgets, the estimation of costs involved in implementing a geographical information system (GIS) deserves attention. One of the major procedures inherent in the use of GIS is the task of digitizing existing maps. This step is not only the first but may also occur at various stages of the implementation. There is, however, a lack of information on the cost of digitizing. This paper identifies the costs of an intensive effort at manual digitizing over a period of eleven months using the ARC/INFO GIS on a Prime 9650 mini-computer. General costs for digitizing one layer of information from a U.S. Geological Survey 1:24 000 quadrangle are derived. Although the results are based on factors which are unique to this study, the author believes that the findings provide useful bases for estimating costs of digitizing.     

Index to Volume 100

Abstract

The integration of GIS into the secondary curriculum can aid student learning of geography. Through a partnership between a local high school and our university, high school students received nine hours of classroom instruction and field-based training on GIS and GPS to complete a mapping project. Upon completion, a test based on seven geography core curriculum units was administered to these students and to a group of university students who did not receive GIS training. Results of the test revealed that high school students significantly outperformed the university students, suggesting that GIS does aid in the learning of geographic principles.     

Current and potential uses of geographical information systems The North American experience

Abstract

Abstract This paper provides an overview of developments and applications of geographical information systems (GIS) in North America over the past 20 years, together with some indications of lessons learned and prospects for the future. Most developments in this field have been confined to a small number of sectors, including forestry, land registry, transport and facility planning, civil engineering, agriculture and environment, although progress has been variable. The wider use of GIS has been (and will probably continue to be) inhibited by a number of factors, such as lack of digital base mapping, limited digital data, unawareness among potential users and resistance to new technology, coverage of data, assessment of costs and benefits, technological developments affecting GIS and sources of funds for research to political structures, availability of skilled staff, lack of proper advice, the unwisdom of ‘going it alone’ and management problems (which are as important as technical problems, if not more so). A successful programme of GIS depends on a coordination of effort relating to applications, trained personnel, governmental involvement in R. &D. and development of a source of independent advice.     

An Approach to leaching Applied GIS: Implementation for Local Organizations

Abstract

Geographic information systems (GIS) is a fairly new and evolving curriculum area within geography and other disciplines at colleges and universities in the United States. The challenge of teaching underlying concepts of GIS functionality, the details of computer operation and software interfaces, as well as the contexts of various applications can be a difficult one. At Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a teaching strategy—Client-Life Cycle GIS Project Learning—has been introduced in which students in an upper level GIS course work with local organizations, faculty from other university departments, and governmental entities. This allows students with some GIS background to work with real clients; utilize and operationalize the concepts of the GIS Project Life Cycle; make the connection between data development, analysis, and applications development; provide expertise and needed data to local organizations; and see the utility and impact of their work. A group pilot project from the spring semester of 1998 is discussed to illustrate how students responded to this method of teaching GIS.     

Geographic information systems and health: An educational resource

Abstract

The use of geographic information systems to analyze spatial dimensions of health care and disease ecology is becoming a realistic prospect for investigators in the social sciences. This review of the literature, bringing together a diverse collection of professional and academic journals, can be grouped into four categories: potential, cautionary, preliminary, and application. Enough references have been collected and reviewed to provide instructors with material for a classroom unit about 1) using GIS in a medical geography class: 2) medical applications in a GIS class; or 3) using GIS in classes which have a health and disease component.     

A Review of “The Power of Place”

Two qualitative case studies, one focusing on K-12 teachers and the other on middle school students, explore key factors associated with using Geographic Information Systems in the classroom. In both studies, access to appropriate hardware is a critical barrier. Time is another critical barrier—time to learn the GIS software and time in the curriculum to incorporate GIS as a learning experience. In both case studies, learning the technology at the expense of learning spatial analysis was a danger, suggesting the need for conscious focus on the goal of using GIS to learn how to “do geography.”     

Comparative evolution of statewide Geographic Information Systems in Ohio

Abstract

This paper describes four autonomous Geographic Information Systems operating at a statewide level in Ohio (USA). All were initiated at various times in the 1970s and 1980s. They are operated by branches of state government, namely the Department of Natural Resources, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the Ohio Department of Transportation, and the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. A critical review of the operations and institutional contexts of these four systems shows evolution from in-house software development to third party suppliers, from coarse resolution grid cells to high accuracy vector data, from large dedicated GIS staffs to application-specific users augmented by smaller GIS support staffs, and from agency-dependent databases to inter-agency database sharing as technology improves and user needs and databases increase.     

Paper-Based GIS: A Practical Answer to the Implementation of GIS Education into Resource-Poor Schools in South Africa

Abstract

Geographical information systems (GIS) were phased into the geography curriculum of South African schools from 2006–2008 as part of the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) for grades 10–12. Since its introduction, GIS education in schools across the country has been met with a number of challenges including the cost of purchasing the hardware and software required to elucidate the basic concepts of GIS to learners. This article examines the introduction of GIS education in schools in South Africa. The development and distribution of a paper-based GIS educational package for resource-poor schools in the country is also highlighted. Preliminary educator and learner evaluations of the paper-based GIS package are discussed and the broader learning opportunities and benefits associated with flexible teaching mechanisms are examined.     

Research Paper. The predictive use of GIS to model property valuations

Abstract

GIS is a technology which is ideally suited to analysis of the market values of properties, since such values are based upon spatial comparisons as well as individual property attributes. Great Britain now has a new mechanism of local taxation, the council tax, which is based upon the capital values of properties. Central to the implementation of this tax has been the potentially controversial assignment of properties to valuation ‘bands’. This paper posits that a geographical model embedded within a GIS provides an alternative means of devising credible capital values, and anticipates some of the prospects for the use of GIS in local revenue-raising.     

Integrating GIS and spatial data analysis: problems and possibilities

Abstract

This article is an agreed summary of a workshop held in Sheffield between 18-20 March 1991. The focus here is on three of the themes of the workshop: the mutual benefits of closer links between geographical information systems (GIS) and the methods of spatial data analysis (SDA); the specific areas of SDA that should be linked with GIS; how the linkage should be made in practice. Directions for future research are also reviewed. The emphasis throughout is on statistical SDA and principally from the perspective of human rather than physical geography.     

Multistop-based measurements of accessibility in a GTS environment

Abstract

The opportunities available at a demand location are usually measured as the costs of reaching a specified critical number of facilities from that location. This method does not however, account for multistop trips nor for differences in the diversity of supply at the level of individual facilities. In this paper we introduce an alternative measurement method that overcomes these shortcomings. In this method the probability of successfully visiting a specific facility is assumed to be a function of the diversity of supply provided. Trip routes are constructed that have an acceptable probability of success. Then, the expected costs of travelling the optimum route are determined as an indicator of spatial opportunities. The proposed method has been implemented in a GIS environment, using typical GIS data and GIS tools for spatial analysis and display. The results of a case study indicate that the new method, compared to current methods, may lead to different evaluations of the level of opportunities at demand locations.     

Measuring the accessibility of different household income groups to basic community services in upland Misamis Oriental,Northern Mindanao,Philippines

Improving household accessibility to basic community services can help reduce poverty in upland areas. In this study, spatial analysis with GIS was used to measure the accessibility of different household income groups to community services in the landlocked upland municipality Claveria in Northern Mindanao, the Philippines. Important community services were identified through villagers' participation in a matrix‐scoring activity. Travel information was derived from key informant interviews while the geographical coordinates of sample households and important services were collected using GPS receivers. The Flowmap GIS software (version 7.2) was used to compute accessibility to services along the road network by habal‐habal (two‐wheel motorcycle). Outcomes from the participatory data gathering activities revealed that agricultural, educational and health facilities, as well as government services are important to the community to achieve sustainable livelihoods. Because local people perceive accessibility in terms of monetary costs, rather than distance, road distance measurements were converted into fare costs. Results of the accessibility analysis show that higher‐income household groups generally incur lower mean one‐way travel costs to reach important community services than poorer households. However, almost all households spend more than the daily per capita poverty threshold for the province to reach basic community services. A scenario to improve accessibility to services in the study area was investigated to emphasize the potential of GIS‐based accessibility analysis in rural service planning.     

The National Science Foundation National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis

Abstract

The National Science Foundation will soon establish a National Center devoted to geographical research and education based on geographical information systems (GIS). The Center will be located at a university chosen on the basis of competitive proposals that will be evaluated primarily on the quality of their research agendas. The winning institution will be expected to involve government agencies and private firms in Center operations and programmes, and it will be expected to serve the national GIS community. The Center arose from a suggestion made by a member of the GIS research community. A large-scale database initiative and a Foundation commitment to Science and Technology Centers provided an institutional environment hospitable to the Center. There are similarities and differences in the approach taken toward GIS research, policy and applications in the United Kingdom (UK) and in the United States (US). Those similarities and differences offer promising topics for collaborative research on GIS itself and on GIS as an information technology affecting the discipline of geography. Cross-national UK-US research would be a productive step toward the globalization of GIS and GIS research.