Canadian planners face an uncertain future. The communities which planners serve are experiencing significant change and seeking answers to the environmental, economic, and social factors affecting them Planners have been disparaged publicly and in writing by prominent popular writers, criticized by planning theorists, reproached by politicians and the public, and challenged from within and outside the profession to explore new ways of addressing the issues facing society. While planners have been caught up in those debates and issues, no one has asked planners what they think about the future of their profession. This study examines the state of Canadian planning^ asks practitioners what they think about their profession, and identifies the factors which affect the work of planners. The study is based upon a review of planning literature and a survey of Canadian planners. The literature review examines others' -mainly planning theorists'- primary research to explore the historic relationship between planners and city building and the influences of that relationship upon modem planning thought and practice. The study also reviews the evolution of modem planning theory and modern planning practice. The examination of the history and theory of planning provides a context for the exploration of practitioners' views of the nature and status of planning in Canada. The focus of the study is an analysis of the views of Canadian practitioners on the current state of planning. Five hundred and two questionnaires were sent to a random sample of members of the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP), representing 14% of the Provisional and Full members. One hundred and tiiirty three or 27% of the sample responded. The results provide a detailed understanding of what Canadian planners identify as the issues facing Canadian planning practice. The study confirms that a majority of Canadian planners believe that planning practice is facing or is in a state of crisis. They suggest that the crisis is caused by a number of factors such as the political nature of planning decision-making, lack of public understanding of planning, and lack of understanding of planning by politicians. Many planners feel that planning is compromised by the politics of place and that, more and more, planning is facing conflicts of competing interests. In the face of those pressures, planners believe that most planners have become agents of order rather than agents of change. They suggest that the future of planning rests in identifying appropriate new concepts of planning action. A large number also believe that there is a weak linkage between the theory and practice of planning which threatens the well being of planning practice. Building upon the findings of the survey and Len Gertler's 1994 challenge to the Canadian Institute of Planners to identify a "more appropriate development model," the study suggests that a "new development model" could reinvigorate Canadian planning and build effective linkages between theory and practice. The study suggests the evolving concepts of healthy communities and sustainable development could provide a framework for such a model which could have a social reform and interventionist approach to community-based action. The dissertation offers suggestions on the potential form of the model and the role that the Canadian Institute of Planners could play in articulating it. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

This thesis aims to contribute to Senegal's progress towards sustainable development planning. It presents how Senegalese planning system is structured as well as its potential and its limits to change. Senegal is a West African country classified as a least developed country. Senegalese decision-makers seek to provide economic and social well-being to their population, while ensuring a rational and sustainable use of ecological resources. They have demonstrated their commitment to sustainable development in official planning documents and several development programs. However, the process towards sustainability faces several constraints. The structure of the development planning system is complex and rigid; involving a plurality of state agencies, local entities, advisory bodies, citizens, and parliamentarians whose work is uncoordinated and inefficient. Furthermore, a tension exists because the political organization is based on a social vision, while development actions are derived from a liberal policy. In addition, planners and decisions-makers do not share the same understanding of sustainable development. The situation is made more complex by international influences on the concept of sustainability that call for the integration of principles such as gender equality and universal education, making it difficult to establish a clear and commonly understood approach to sustainability. While Senegal seeks human, technical, and financial resources from international donors, the conditions of financial foreign partners further complicates the development planning system. / Master of Urban and Regional Planning

This research, by utilizing the descriptive aspect of the communicative planning model, examined the opinions of surveyed public planners to understand their perceptions concerning their roles in the implementation of comprehensive plans. The research developed a Q-methodology design to uncover a typology of opinion concerned the perceived roles played by participants throughout the planning process in counties within the state of Georgia. The research contributes to the literature by developing this typology and by using it to assess the opinions of public planners. Through the use of Q-methodology, the research analyzed 34 usable Q-sorts from Georgia planners. Based on analysis of these sorts, four distinct types of opinion were found. The planning participants appear to be communicating opinions that represent the following: mostly positive roles on structural issues, such as budgeting, coordinating, and plan complexity; two roles that are positive of public participation; and two roles that are negative of public participation and focused on economic development. The research‘s typology shows that the planning participants view planning in two dimensions: political (opinion concerning the public) and functional (opinion concerning what leads to successful planning).

In convention market, one of the fastest growing sectors in hospitality industry, meeting planners play an important role to select a destination for their event. Therefore, a good relationship with them can be a competitive advantage for a convention destination considering a fierce competition among the destinations. The objective of this study is to develop an empirically valid relationship marketing (RM) model that would verify the antecedents, mediators, and consequence of the relationship between the destination marketing organization (DMO) and meeting planners. This study found three antecedents (i.e., customer orientation, familiarity, and reputation) of the RM mediating constructs that consist of satisfaction, trust, and commitment as well as consequence (i.e. behavioral intention) led by the RM mediators based on review of the literature. Therefore, the hypothesized relationships 1) between the antecedents and the mediators, 2) between the mediators, 3) and 3) between the mediators and the consequence in the model were tested by using structural equation modeling (SEM) with LISREL results. Eight out of eleven hypotheses were supported by the examination of path coefficients while 33 observed indicators were confirmed in the measurement model through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The SEM results showed the significant relationships that lead to meaningful implications in both industry and academia while this study is not immune to limitations that can be the starting points of recommendations for future studies

The purpose of this thesis is to identify the destination site selection criteria for internationalconferences from the perspectives of the three main players of the conference industry,conference buyers (organizers and delegates) and suppliers. Additionally, the researchidentifies the strengths and weaknesses of the congress cities of Stockholm and Vienna.Through a comparison with Vienna, the top city for hosting international conferences, a roadmap for Stockholm has been designed, to strengthen its congress tourism opportunities, thus,obtaining a higher status as an international congress city. This qualitative research hascombined both primary and secondary data methods, through semi-standardized expertinterviews and secondary studies respectively, to fulfil the study’s aim. The data have beenanalysed by applying the techniques of qualitative content analysis; the secondary dataadopting an inductive approach according to Mayring (2003) while the expert interviewsusing a deductive approach according to Meuser & Nagel (2009). The conclusions of thesecondary data have been further compared and contrasted with the outcomes of the primarydata, to propose fresh discoveries, clarifications, and concepts related to the site selectioncriteria for international conferences, and for the congress tourism industry of Stockholm. Theresearch discusses the discoveries of the site selection criteria, the implications of thestrengths and weaknesses of Stockholm in comparison to Vienna, recommendations forStockholm via a road map, and future research areas in detail. The findings andrecommendation, not only provide specific steps and inceptions that Stockholm as aninternational conference city can apply, but also propose findings, which can aid conferencebuyers and suppliers to cooperate, to strengthen their marketing strategies and developsuccessful international conferences and destinations to help achieve a greater competitiveadvantage.

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

En 2000, la loi Solidarité et Renouvellement Urbains entend relancer la planification supracommunale. Un nouveau dispositif -le schéma de cohérence territoriale- est créé, son objectif : mieux coordonner les initiatives publiques dans le champ de l'aménagement du territoire. Dès 2001 de nombreux groupements de communes s'en saisir. Le parti pris ici est de regarder cette réforme à travers l'activité des chefs de projets de SCOT qui organisent l'écriture de ces documents. De 2002 à 2006, des entretiens documentés ont été conduits auprès de plusieurs responsables administratifs. Cette analyse retrace leur mobilisation lors des grandes étapes de ces schémas : la mise en place des périmètres, la conception des cartes, la rédaction du corps de texte.Il en ressort que leur travail s'apparente à un travail de médiation pour gérer des différends qui amène les parties prenantes de cette procédure à consentir à se fixer des règles négociées. Cette approche met en évidence la forme singulière de cette activité qui pour faire avancer la démarche s'appuie très largement sur la convocation par anticipation des effets du droit. Loin de simplement dire le droit ou de le décliner, cette activité de production d'une norme intermédiaire entre la loi et plusieurs documents et actes administratifs vient convoquer le droit pour accompagner des transactions qui trouvent parfois leur prolongement hors de tout cadre juridique. La place importante accordée au droit en situation est mise en perspective par un bref retour historique sur quarante années de production législative et de schémas supracommunaux, une analyse du double mouvement de judiciarisation et de judicisation de la planification, et dans la période actuelle sur la manière dont cette mobilisation du droit dépasse le cadre de chaque dispositif localisé pour constituer un sujet de structuration de ce milieu professionnel. L'analyse du contenu des formations proposées aux chefs de projet SCOT, de leurs échanges en différents lieux, des initiatives conduites pour faire évoluer leur cadre légale d'intervention complètent et confortent les observations situées du travail / In 2000, the law Solidarity and Urban Renewal aims at refurbishing strategic spatial planning. Local authorities are pushed to group in order to lead the writing of new master plan (schéma de cohérence territoriale). In the following years, 400 SCOT are being studied. This implementation is analyzed through a focus on urban planner works. From 2002 to 2006, interviews with these planners enlighten the master plan creation main phases : create the perimeter, drawing the maps, writing the guidelines.This PHD shows how planners play negotiation and mediation roles through this normative production, how they succeed in raising an agreement on collective rules. This analysis shows that normative planning is not an end but a beginning : Law argument on possible effects of a to-be rule -such as litigation through courts, or master plan cancellation- is a way to organize public decisions and begin negotiation. An historic analysis on law production and master plan elaboration during the last 40 years, today's interests and involvement of the profession on legislative production and law arguments complete the situated-work observation

Today’s organisation competes in a fast-moving global marketplace. With technological developments, global communications and demanding customers driving increased competition in most sectors, organisations cannot afford to stand still for long (Holbeche, 2004:32). They exist only when their products and services are sold, and salespeople are usually one of the most important elements of making this happen. Organisations’ fiscal health depends on their ability to drive revenue, but without mastering sales management, revenue can quickly decline. Salespeople need to concentrate on sales, not on responsibilities that pull them in different directions (Bailor, 2004:53). According to Clarke (1998:29), for any company to succeed, the various departments must co-ordinate their efforts and work together. The sales team relies on other departments for support; without sales every other department is worthless. The method of selling has also changed and the days of salespeople carrying briefcases overstuffed with brochures and knocking on every door they can find to drum up interest in their organisations’ products are waning. Today’s professional salespeople co-ordinate the resources of their companies to help solve customers’ problems (Weitz et al, 2004:5). For organisations to succeed in this new environment the right organisational climate is vital to create high performance. This is about making the most of employee talents and accountabilities, and managing performance in ways which unleash, rather than constrain, employee potential (Holbeche, 2004:32). 2 The Long Term Insurance Industry in South Africa had to deal with the changing environment and the introduction of the Financial Advisor Intermediary Service Act of 2002 (FAIS). The traditional principles of successful sales are being challenged in a changing South African insurance industry. Sales managers must rethink their philosophies as the Financial Advisory Intermediary Act (37/2002) regulates the rendering of certain financial advisory and intermediary services to clients and provides for matters incidental thereto. Sales managers can no longer simply motivate financial advisors to achieve targets but should also ensure that all new business is compliant and falls within the new legislation. According to Natenberg (2004:1), sales managers must have a purpose to cope with the added challenges and demands because success comes from purpose. Until a sales manager or financial advisor recognises what needs to be accomplished, there will be a lack of motivation necessary to accomplish anything. Financial advisors burn out easily because they cannot visualise the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Everyone wants a driven, highperformance sales team. However, not all sales leaders know how to achieve that. The problem could be motivation. Many sales managers see money as the answer to their motivational problem but money is not everything. For all their commitment to keep salespeople inspired, sales managers would do well to stop and consider the simple things their financial advisors desire. Only then might sales managers be able to craft programmes or work situations in which sales people can thrive (Gilbert, 2003:30). “Too often people let life pass them by. They try hard to achieve something, but when they do, they ask, “Is this all there is to it?” That is because they never 3 take a moment to enjoy how monumental their achievements are. When you accomplish what you set out to do, be proud” (Natenberg, 2004:1). / Prof. Chris Jooste

In Washington, DC, historical data are used to adequately size for rainfall events, and efforts to increase stormwater management requirements are fought against by internal stakeholders. In urban planning, extreme rainfall events, that may occur more frequently than expected, are often not a consideration when designing for green infrastructure facilities. The purpose of this case study was to explore how internal and external stakeholders influence stormwater management policies related to extreme rainfall events in Washington, DC. The power and politics organization theory, which focuses on how individuals obtain influence, and the resource dependency theory, which explores how organizations benefit from sustainability, were used as the theoretical framework in this study. The case study analysis was conducted via phone interviews; through phone interviews, data were collected from 4 policymakers (i.e., external stakeholders), 5 real estate developers (i.e., internal stakeholders) and 3 internal team members (i.e., internal stakeholders) and analyzed thematically. All the stakeholders believed that it is not necessary to design the green infrastructure systems to the extreme rainfall event; however, the developers said that they would design their green infrastructure systems larger if required by policy. The results of the study showed that each group'€™s effect works in a cyclic fashion to each other. Recommendations for future studies include to expand and increase stakeholder participation. This collaboration and better communication can help in developing more efficient stormwater management policies for a better city, which is an implication for positive social change.