This paper presents a case study and analysis of changes in the organizational structure of the Open Learning Agency (OLA) of British Columbia in 1992. Under the aegis of the Ministry of Advanced Education, Technology and Training, the Agency carries a five-fold mandate - in collaboration with universities, institutions, boards of school trustees and other agencies concerned with education, OLA is to: provide an educational credit bank for students; coordinate the development of open learning education; use open learning methods to provide educational programs and services; carry out research related to open learning education; and operate one or more broadcasting undertakings devoted primarily to the field of educational broadcasting. The central question of the paper is: How will OLA restructure to achieve its mandate and strategic direction? In particular, the paper examines the Agency's structure prior to reorganization, the internal and external forces acting upon it as seen through the eyes of its executive members and the key issues facing the organization, including the reasons which precipitated a review of the organizational structure in 1991. The structure prior to reorganization is analyzed and classified as an example of Mintzberg's (1989) innovative configuration. The paper also predicts an innovative configuration for the Agency's reorganized structure based upon Mintzberg's contingency and life cycle hypotheses. The reorganized structure (which came into effect May 1, 1992) is subsequently analyzed and agrees with the prediction. The method of investigation included interviews with executive members conducted approximately three months prior and three months after the reorganization, archival research and personal observation by the writer, an employee of the Agency. Mintzberg's (1983, 1989) conceptual framework of structural configurations provided a basis for analysis of the case study data. The paper concludes that the innovative configuration is an appropriate form for the organization in view of its mandate and strategic direction but notes that it is also a difficult configuration to sustain, subject to pressures for increasing bureaucratization and susceptible to internal and external politicization. The paper recommends that the Agency do its best to maintain the configuration by educating staff about its nature and resist pressures which might shape it into a more conventional, professional form. The paper further finds Mintzberg's framework descriptive and helpful in providing limited, broad understanding of the Agency, its issues and choices for change; however, factors which can have significant impact such as political pressure, personal idiosyncrasies of leaders and centralization of office sites make any detailed prescriptions for organizational change somewhat elusive.

This paper presents a case study and analysis of changes in the organizational structure of the Open Learning Agency (OLA) of British Columbia in 1992. Under the aegis of the Ministry of Advanced Education, Technology and Training, the Agency carries a five-fold mandate - in collaboration with universities, institutions, boards of school trustees and other agencies concerned with education, OLA is to: provide an educational credit bank for students; coordinate the development of open learning education; use open learning methods to provide educational programs and services; carry out research related to open learning education; and operate one or more broadcasting undertakings devoted primarily to the field of educational broadcasting. The central question of the paper is: How will OLA restructure to achieve its mandate and strategic direction? In particular, the paper examines the Agency's structure prior to reorganization, the internal and external forces acting upon it as seen through the eyes of its executive members and the key issues facing the organization, including the reasons which precipitated a review of the organizational structure in 1991. The structure prior to reorganization is analyzed and classified as an example of Mintzberg's (1989) innovative configuration. The paper also predicts an innovative configuration for the Agency's reorganized structure based upon Mintzberg's contingency and life cycle hypotheses. The reorganized structure (which came into effect May 1, 1992) is subsequently analyzed and agrees with the prediction. The method of investigation included interviews with executive members conducted approximately three months prior and three months after the reorganization, archival research and personal observation by the writer, an employee of the Agency. Mintzberg's (1983, 1989) conceptual framework of structural configurations provided a basis for analysis of the case study data. The paper concludes that the innovative configuration is an appropriate form for the organization in view of its mandate and strategic direction but notes that it is also a difficult configuration to sustain, subject to pressures for increasing bureaucratization and susceptible to internal and external politicization. The paper recommends that the Agency do its best to maintain the configuration by educating staff about its nature and resist pressures which might shape it into a more conventional, professional form. The paper further finds Mintzberg's framework descriptive and helpful in providing limited, broad understanding of the Agency, its issues and choices for change; however, factors which can have significant impact such as political pressure, personal idiosyncrasies of leaders and centralization of office sites make any detailed prescriptions for organizational change somewhat elusive. / Education, Faculty of / Educational Studies (EDST), Department of / Graduate

In the complexity of contemporary society, the welfare of individuals is dependent upon the co-operation of the helping professions and co-ordination of services provided by the many social institutions. This study considered the degree of cooperation between the two helping professions, social work and the ministry, in the suburban community of Richmond, British Columbia. The research method in this qualitative study included interviews with fifteen clergymen and ten social workers in order to apply the concepts of reciprocal awareness and utilization. This method facilitated evaluation of the knowledge one profession had of the other's role and function, and the extent to which this knowledge was used for the benefit of the population they served. Supplementing this main method was a brief historical consideration of the impact of industrialization on the development and contemporary role of the church and social welfare. The findings of the study showed the awareness one profession had of the other was based more on general knowledge than direct interprofessional contact. The utilization of each other's resources, as indicated by referral patterns, was minimal and typically the result of coincidence rather than planning. Reciprocity, the main concept evaluated, was virtually non-existent. This can primarily be accounted for by absence of communication, despite an acknowledgement by both professions, particularly social work, that there were several gains to be realized from more co-operation. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

This essay tries to determine how two municipal archival programs develop from their origins as collections of historical documents in museums, and whether they fit into the larger pattern of archival development found in Canadian federal and provincial public archives, which is identified as "total archives". To provide some context for the two case studies, the essay first examines the main features of the Canadian tradition of "total archives" and tries to locate Canadian archives in the context of the worldwide evolution of modern archival institutions. The essay then explores the development of municipal archival programs in Delta and Richmond, British Columbia to reveal how they were conceived, advanced and sustained. The study concludes that local archival programs do fit into the Canadian tradition of "total archives", however, a conceptual framework which includes both the cultural and administrative purposes of archival institutions appears to be lacking. The conclusion summarizes some of the aspects of a conceptual framework including: the nature of archives, the legal status of public records and the need for archival legislation, the administrative role of an archival program, the need for a commitment of adequate resources, and the need for local governments to recognize their duty to preserve and make accessible public records of continuing value.

This essay tries to determine how two municipal archival programs develop from their origins as collections of historical documents in museums, and whether they fit into the larger pattern of archival development found in Canadian federal and provincial public archives, which is identified as "total archives". To provide some context for the two case studies, the essay first examines the main features of the Canadian tradition of "total archives" and tries to locate Canadian archives in the context of the worldwide evolution of modern archival institutions. The essay then explores the development of municipal archival programs in Delta and Richmond, British Columbia to reveal how they were conceived, advanced and sustained. The study concludes that local archival programs do fit into the Canadian tradition of "total archives", however, a conceptual framework which includes both the cultural and administrative purposes of archival institutions appears to be lacking. The conclusion summarizes some of the aspects of a conceptual framework including: the nature of archives, the legal status of public records and the need for archival legislation, the administrative role of an archival program, the need for a commitment of adequate resources, and the need for local governments to recognize their duty to preserve and make accessible public records of continuing value. / Arts, Faculty of / Library, Archival and Information Studies (SLAIS), School of / Graduate

Humans are at a critical juncture in terms of how to evolve to deal with increasingly urgent global ecological and social trends. Questions of ecological sustainability are inextricably linked to patterns of human production and consumption. The current economic system operates without regard for unbending ecological laws. Industrial Ecology is an alternative theory for planning, designing and managing production and consumption activities to operate within biophysical limits by applying ecological principles to industrial operations. This thesis explores implementing Industrial Ecology with eco-industrial parks - sites with a redundant and diverse set of businesses co-located to operate as ecologically compatible and economically viable systems. Projects underway are using different concepts, strategies and organizational forms, but all seek to apply Industrial Ecology principles. My literature review discusses the benefits, challenges and risks associated with eco-industrial parks and summarizes key design elements from existing cases. The City of Richmond is used to analyze the capacity of a municipality and its policy and regulatory framework for eco-industrial parks based on key design elements. Structured interviews informed the evaluation of capacity. I found Richmond's Official Community Plan, Industrial Strategy and zoning bylaw conceptually support and would not prevent eco-industrial park development; however, policy lacks economy-environment linkages and does not further Industrial Ecology. Regulatory barriers to implementation of physical design features of eco-industrial parks involve zoning, land use patterns, permitting, ownership and water concerns, but the barriers are flexible in terms of presenting obstacles rather than being prohibitive. Municipal capacity gaps exist for non-physical design features relating to information systems and organization and management. I make recommendations for Richmond to increase eco-industrial development capacity based on Industrial Ecology theory, other eco-industrial park cases and a personal interpretation of what is required for sustainable development. Richmond has significant potential to become a leader in industrial innovation at the level of local systems to which horizontal and vertical links can be established for achieving long-term sustainability.

Richmond, also known as Lulu Island, was carved out from the passage of the Fraser River to the Pacific Ocean. The River and its rich delta soils have bestowed a strong fishing and agricultural industry upon Richmond. This thesis examines an area of Richmond that is located along the shores of the Fraser River where the North Arm splits into the Middle Arm. This area, specifically the Bridgeport sub-area and the Van Home Industrial Park, is a predominantly light industrial neighbourhood located along the northwest shores of Richmond. This particular site has gradually undergone redevelopment over the past ten years as commercial land uses have begun to take the place of residential and agricultural land uses. These new land uses, in many instances, are not complementary to one another and the area moves towards becoming dominated by big box commercial and tourism-based commercial. Residential land use is being replaced by these new land uses due to the noise generated from the flight path for the north runway of the Vancouver International Airport which passes directly over this neighbourhood. This thesis explores three revitalization schemes that would allow for the redevelopment of this area to proceed in such a way that creates an opportunity for a strong neighbourhood identity. One that recognizes the demands and diverse nature of the area while establishing a variety of land uses that are able to coexist and take advantage of the site's physical and experiential attributes and its strategic location within the city and region.

The management of the coastal zone is a complex task facing all three levels of Canadian Government. While academic research and public attention tend to focus on federal and provincial agencies, the role of local government has been left largely unexplored. This thesis examines the role of local government in coastal zone management in British Columbia and evaluates local government’s contribution to the management of the coastal zone based on the performance of local planning policies in the coastal community of Richmond, B.C. Coastal zone management (C.Z.M.) is a specialized subset of contemporary resource management models having three hierarchically integrated components representing biophysical, socio-economic and institutional subsystems. A literature review yielded many management issues of which seven were selected to reflect the local government experience in C.Z.M. The seven issues are: Habitat Conservation, Water Quality, Coastal Hazards, Public Access and Aesthetics, Public Input, Water Dependency and Interjurisdictional Coordination. The evaluation of Richmond’s C.Z.M. policies was undertaken using a methodology similar to those employed by Rosentraub (1975) and Jessen et al. (1983). A retrospective analysis of Development Permit Application files processed between 1988 and 1991 was employed in the evaluation of existing policies contained within Richmond’s Official Community Plan. While the exact extent of local responsibilities remains poorly defined by existing legislation, local regulatory powers in C.Z.M. were determined to be nonetheless significant. The British Columbia Municipal Act provided a considerable amount of regulatory authority for each of the seven coastal zone management issues, namely in the form of Zoning bylaws, Official Community Plan bylaws and Development Permits. The findings indicate that Richmond’s existing policies displayed limited effectiveness concerning the management of C.Z.M. issues such as Habitat Conservation, Water Quality, Coastal Hazards and Interjurisdictional Coordination. However, the results also suggested that local policies addressing coastal zone issues such as public access and aesthetics were effective. Furthermore, explicit policies for Water Dependency and Public Input were non existent. Several recommendations were made in this thesis. The first is an expanded recognition of C.Z.M. as a local government concern and responsibility. Further recommendations include increased interjurisdictional involvement, greater public access to waterfront surrounding industrial sites and discouraging the pressure to develop in the floodplain.

Ideas of typology are pursued, expanding on popular preconceptions of automobile culture and strip architecture. The elements of type are investigated through an analysis of their physical, social, and economic relationships. An argument of complicity is developed as an alternative to the traditional "eurourbanism" common to many municipal design guidelines. This position seeks to work within the context of the existing city, taking pleasure in its margins, gaps, and adjacencies. Considering the particular physical, cultural and economic conditions of the City of Richmond, this project is framed as the identification of an emerging spatial conception and program/use. The physical space of the city is seen to be shaped most directly by the inclusion of the automobile. The cultural influences of immigration are read on the surfaces of the city and through building programme. Economic realities shape the space of the city as a commodity to be constructed, marketed, and consumed. Through the analysis of the site and contextual conditions, strategies of spatial investigation emerged: the folding of the plane of the city (street) into the space of the building, the horizontal framing of the space of the city (serving as reference and dis-locator to both the automobile and the body as these move through the spaces of the project), and the assemblage of existing types to produce hybrid/mutant types.

This thesis is a case study of the Terra Nova lands decision in the Township of Richmond, B.C. which analyses the use of public hearings as a means of public participation in the municipal rezoning aspect of the planning process. A literature review of democratic theories indicated that there is no single accepted theory of democracy or the role of public participation within a democratic society. Classical democratic theory, likened to participatory democracy, outlines the need for widespread public participation in the decision-making process while contemporary democratic theorists critize this as unrealistic in a modern society. Instead, contemporary theorists stress that the role of the public is to create an elected representative government that will decide issues on their behalf. Representative democracy is described according to four principles including: popular control, political equality, effective choice, and majority rule. Public participation in the planning process represents a movement along the democratic continuum from participatory to representative democracy towards a more participatory form of governing. Although the public hearing process has traditionally been viewed as a legitimate means to involve the public in the planning process, it is increasingly being questionned as appropriate. The Terra Nova rezoning public hearings were analysed using the evaluative framework of Glasser, Manty, and Nehman based on six communication characteristics and six participation objectives. The data was collected from the results of interviews with twelve key participants using a pre-designed questionnaire. It was concluded that the Terra Nova public hearing process was inherently flawed in its attempt to provide meaningful public participation in the municipal planning process and also that preceptual differences among the participants accounted for their dissatisfaction with the public hearing process. It was also concluded that the Terra Nova public hearings must be viewed in an historical and political context which indicated that the decision to develop the Terra Nova lands had been made prior to the rezoning hearings with the adoption of the Official Community Plan and that the municipal council members were firmly split along political lines in favour of and opposed to development on the Terra Nova lands. The analysis, however, did not provide a conclusive answer regarding the appropriateness of the public hearings as a means for public participation in the planning process. The answer to this question rests on an individual's position on the continuum of democracy between representation and participation. Nevertheless, recommendations can be made to enhance or supplement the public hearing process to overcome the inherent flaws and perceptual differences thus moving public participation in the municipal planning process closer to participatory democracy. These suggestions include local area planning initiatives and the use of an independent, non-political, rezoning commission. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate