Keywords
quality of life
sustainable development
stakeholder involvement
How to Cite
Abstract
Sustainable urban development is a key challenge for modern societies, mainly due to dynamic social, economic, and environmental changes. These challenges can negatively impact residents' quality of life, emphasising the need for increased stakeholder involvement in implementing sustainable development principles. This article aims to identify factors that promote higher levels of public participation. Surveys conducted in 33 Polish cities were used to develop the Index of Local Level Participation (ILLP). Cities for the study were selected based on their presence in six sustainability-related rankings. The survey was conducted using the CAWI technique and purposive sampling. The ILLP included two variables: voter turnout (%) in City Council elections and the percentage of stakeholder groups involved in the city strategy process. The analysis revealed that ILLP values are influenced by city size and location within specific macro-regions. Larger cities and agglomerations exhibit higher levels of stakeholder involvement than medium-sized cities, suggesting a correlation between socio-economic development and public participation. Additionally, being in a highly developed region fosters greater citizen engagement. Cities with low participation levels should focus on improving quality of life and raising awareness about the importance of participation in sustainable urban transformation.
References
Act from 9 October 2015. The Revitalization Act. Journal of Laws 2015, item 1777. https://isap.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/DocDetails.xsp?id=WDU20150001777 (in Polish).
Agboola, O. P., Bashir, F. M., Dodo, Y. A., Mohamed, M. A. S., & Alsadun, I. S. R. (2023). The influence of information and communication technology (ICT) on stakeholders' involvement and smart urban sustainability. Environmental Advances, 13, 100431. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envadv.2023.100431
Agrawal, S., Sharma, N., Bruni, M. E., & Iazzolino, G. (2023). Happiness economics: Discovering future research trends through a systematic literature review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 416, 137860. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.137860
Allardt, E. (1976). Dimensions of Welfare in a Comparative Scandinavian Study. Acta Sociologica, 19(3), 227-239. https://doi.org/10.1177/000169937601900302
Bagiński, E. (2011). Suburbanizacja - nieunikniona przyszłość osadnictwa? Studia Miejskie, 3, 11-16. https://czasopisma.uni.opole.pl/index.php/sm/article/view/2283 (in Polish).
Błoński, K., Burlita, A., & Witek, J. (2014). Zaangażowanie i przywiązanie mieszkańców a ich satysfakcja z usług świadczonych przez jednostki samorządu terytorialnego. Raport. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.1340.6247 (in Polish).
Bluj, A., Perchuć-Żółtkowska, M., & Pliszczyńska, K. (2018). ABC partycypacji obywatelskiej - poradnik dla organizatorów procesów partycypacyjnych. Warszawa: Pracownia Badań i Innowacji Społecznych "Stocznia". (in Polish).
Bokhari, S. A. A., & Myeong, S. (2022). Use of Artificial Intelligence in Smart Cities for Smart Decision-Making: A Social Innovation Perspective. Sustainability, 14(2), 620. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14020620
Cohen, B. (2006). Urbanization in developing countries: Current trends. future projections. and key challenges for sustainability. Technology in Society, 28(1-2), 63-80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2005.10.005
Cohen, J. E. (2001). World population in 2050: assessing the projections. Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, 46, 83-113. https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=28ac4827d549b04e9c42645fff62a515d58efed2
Costa, D. S. J., Mercieca-Bebber, R., Rutherford, C., Tait, M. A., & King, M. T. (2021). How is quality of life defined and assessed in published research? Quality of Life Research, 30(8), 2109-2121. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-021-02826-0
Czaja, S., & Becla, A. (2012). Wybrane wyzwania współczesnej teorii ekonomii a ewolucja makromierników rozwoju gospodarczego. dobrobytu społecznego i jakości życia. Studia Ekonomiczne. Zeszyty Naukowe Wydziałowe Uniwersytetu Ekonomicznego w Katowicach, 101, 61-72. https://bazekon.uek.krakow.pl/en/rekord/171245777 (in Polish).
Daly, K., Schugurensky, D., & Lopes, K. (2009). Learning Democracy by Doing: Alternative Practices in Citizenship Education and Participatory Democracy. University of Toronto. https://www.bibalex.org/baifa/Resources/Document/452868
de Araujo, J. F. F. E., & Tejedo-Romero, F. (2016). Local government transparency index: determinants of municipalities’ rankings. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 29(4), 327-347. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPSM-11-2015-0199
de Sousa, L., da Cruz, N. F., & Fernandes, D. (2021). The quality of local democracy: an institutional analysis. Local Government Studies, 49(1), 1-29. https://doi.org/10.1080/03003930.2021.1882428
Demazière, C. (2022). Urbanisation. suburbanisation and territorial development: research issues for small and medium-sized towns. In H. Mayer & M. Lazzeroni (Eds.), A Research Agenda for Small and Medium-Sized Towns (pp. 39-56). Edward Elgar Publishing.
Duxbury, N., Hosagrahar, J., & Pascual, J. (2016). Why must culture be at the heart of sustainable urban development? https://www.researchgate.net/publication/295086795_Why_must_culture_be_at_the_heart_of_sustainable_urban_development
Fleszer, D. (2019). Right To Information and Public Participation. Roczniki Administracji i Prawa, 1(19), 91-108. https://doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0013.3585 (in Polish).
Gaia, A., Sala, E., & Cerati, G. (2021). Social networking sites use and life satisfaction. A quantitative study on older people living in Europe. European Societies, 23(1), 98-118. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616696.2020.1762910
Garnåsjordet, P. A., Aslaksen, I., Giampietro, M., Funtowicz, S., & Ericson, T. (2012). Sustainable Development Indicators: From Statistics to Policy. Environmental Policy and Governance, 22(5), 322-336. https://doi.org/10.1002/eet.1597
Guzman, L. A., Arellana, J., & Alvarez, V. (2020). Confronting congestion in urban areas: Developing Sustainable Mobility Plans for public and private organizations in Bogotá. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 134, 321-335. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.TRA.2020.02.019
Haklay, M., Jankowski, P., & Zwoliński, Z. (2018). Selected modern methods and tools for public participation in urban planning - A review. Quaestiones Geographicae, 37(3), 127-149. https://doi.org/10.2478/QUAGEO-2018-0030
Heinonen, H., Aro, A. R., Aalto, A.-M., & Uutela, A. (2004). Is the evaluation of the global quality of life determined by emotional status? Quality of Life Research, 13, 1347-1356. https://doi.org/10.1023/B%3AQURE.0000040788.12947.b9
Jiang, C., Wang, Y., Wei, S., Wu, Z., Zeng, Y., Wang, J., Zhao, Y., & Yang, Z. (2023). Achieving balance between socioeconomic development and ecosystem conservation via policy adjustments in Guangdong Province of southeastern China. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30(14), 41187-41208. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-25166-7
Kashnitsky, I., De Beer, J., & Van Wissen, L. (2021). Unequally ageing regions of Europe: Exploring the role of urbanization. Population Studies, 75(2), 221-237. https://doi.org/10.1080/00324728.2020.1788130
Kaufmann, D., & Wittwer, S. (2022). Public policy and small and medium-sized towns. In H. Mayer & M. Lazzeroni (Eds.), A Research Agenda for Small and Medium-Sized Towns (pp. 163-178). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800887121.00015
Kiba-Janiak, M. (2016). Key success factors for city logistics from the perspective of various groups of stakeholders. Transportation Research Procedia, 12, 557-569. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trpro.2016.02.011
Knutsen, C. H., Gerring, J., & Skaaning, S.-E. (2016). Local Democracy and Economic Growth. V-Dem Working Papers, 39, 1-51. https://ssrn.com/abstract=2877755
Kot, S. M. (2012). Ku stochastycznemu paradygmatowi ekonomii dobrobytu. Kraków: Oficyna Wydawnicza Impuls. (in Polish).
Kuang, Y., & Lin, B. (2021). Public participation and city sustainability: Evidence from Urban Garbage Classification in China. Sustainable Cities and Society, 67, 102741. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2021.102741
Kwilinski, A., Lyulyov, O., & Pimonenko, T. (2023). The Effects of Urbanisation on Green Growth within Sustainable Development Goals. Land, 12(2), 511. https://doi.org/10.3390/land12020511
Łabędź, K. (2015). Civic participation at local level - types and limits. Przegląd Politologiczny, 4, 93-106. https://doi.org/10.14746/pp.2015.20.4.7 (in Polish).
Mamun, A., & Paul, S. (2023). Model Selection in Generalized Linear Models. Symmetry, 15(10), 1905. https://doi.org/10.3390/sym15101905
McLeod, S., Scheurer, J., & Curtis, C. (2017). Urban Public Transport. Planning Principles and Emerging Practice. Journal of Planning Literature, 32(3), 223-239. https://doi.org/10.1177/0885412217693570
Meadows, D., Meadows, D., Randers, J., & Behrens, W. (2014). Perspectives. Problems. and Models from The Limits to Growth. In S. Wheeler & T. Beatley (Eds.), The Sustainable Urban Development Reader (pp. 50-55). London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.
Mouratidis, K. (2021). Urban planning and quality of life: A review of pathways linking the built environment to subjective well-being. Cities, 115, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2021.103229
Nabatchi, T., Ertinger, E., & Leighninger, M. (2015). The Future of Public Participation: Better Design. Better Laws. Better Systems. Conflict Resolution Quarterly, 33(1), 35-44. https://doi.org/10.1002/crq.21142
Ogryzek, M., Krupowicz, W., & Sajnóg, N. (2021). Public participation as a tool for solving socio-spatial conflicts of smart cities and smart villages in the sustainable transport system. Remote Sensing, 13(23), 4821. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13234821
Ojobo, H., Oluwagbemiga, P. A., & Shamang, K. J. (2024). Unveiling the Impact of Urban Green Landscape on Quality of Life in Kaduna, Nigeria: Residents' Perceptions and Sustainable Strategies. Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs, 8(1), 16-36. https://doi.org/10.25034/ijcua.2024.v8n1-2
Pigou, A. C. (1920). Co-operative Societies and Income Tax. The Economic Journal, 30(118), 156-162. https://doi.org/10.2307/2223009
Rogall, H. (2010). Ekonomia zrównoważonego rozwoju. Teoria i praktyka. Poznań: Wyd. Zysk i S-KA (in Polish).
Rose-Ackerman, S. (2008). The voluntary sector and public participation: The case of Hungary. Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, 79(3-4), 601-623. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8292.2008.00372.x
Rześny-Cieplińska, J., & Szmelter-Jarosz, A. (2021). Stakeholders’ analysis of environmental sustainability in urban logistics: A case study of tricity, Poland. Energies, 14(5), 1274. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14051274
Sen, A. (1978). Ethical Measurement of Inequality: Some Difficulties. In W. Krelle & A.F. Shorrocks (Eds.), Personal Income Distribution. Amsterdam: North-Holland
Shek, D. T. L., & Lee, T. Y. (2007). Family life quality and emotional quality of life in Chinese adolescents with and without economic disadvantage. Social Indicators Research, 80(2), 393-410. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-006-6624-6
Sofeska, E. (2017). Understanding the Livability in a City Through Smart Solutions and Urban Planning Toward Developing Sustainable Livable Future of the City of Skopje. Procedia Environmental Sciences, 37, 442-453. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proenv.2017.03.014
Spiliotopoulou, M., & Roseland, M. (2020). Urban sustainability: From theory influences to practical agendas. Sustainability, 12(18), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187245
Tanjung, M. (2021). Can we expect contribution from environmental. social. governance performance to sustainable development? Business Strategy and Development, 4(4), 386-398. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsd2.165
The Constitution of the Republic of Poland from 2 April 1997. Journal of Law No. 78, item 483. https://isap.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/DocDetails.xsp?id=wdu19970780483 (in Polish).
Vanhanen, T. (2000). A New Dataset for Measuring Democracy, 1810-1998. Journal of Peace Research, 37(2), 251-256. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0022343300037002008
Waddell, P. (2002). Urbansim: Modeling urban development for land use. transportation. and environmental planning. Journal of the American Planning Association, 68(3), 297-314. https://doi.org/10.1080/01944360208976274
Wardekker, A., Wilk, B., Brown, V., Uittenbroek, C., Mees, H., Driessen, P., Wassen, M., Molenaar, A., Walda, J., & Runhaar, H. (2020). A diagnostic tool for supporting policymaking on urban resilience. Cities, 101, 102691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2020.102691
Wnuk, M., Zielonka, D., Purandare, B., Kaniewski, A., Klimberg, A., Ulatowska-Szostak, E., Palicka, E., Zarzycki, A., & Kaminiarz, E. (2013). Przegląd koncepcji jakości życia w naukach społecznych. Hygeia Public Health, 48(1), 10-16. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303844166_ (in Polish).
Wronowska, G. (2015). Welfare - a Theoretical Approach and Measurement. Zeszyty Naukowe Uniwersytetu Ekonomicznego w Krakowie, 12(948), 5-16. https://doi.org/10.15678/ZNUEK.2015.0948.1201
Yue, L. L., Wang, W. T., & Li, G. R. (2024). Variable Selection for Generalized Linear Model with Highly Correlated Covariates. Acta Mathematica Sinica. English Series, 40(6), 1458-1480. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10114-024-2198-y
Zielińska-Chmielewska, A. (2020). Ocena efektywności ekonomicznej przedsiębiorstw mięsnych w Polsce. Poznań: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Ekonomicznego w Poznaniu. (in Polish).
Ziersch, A., Osborne, K., & Baum, F. (2011). Local Community Group Participation: Who Participates and What Aspects of Neighbourhood Matter? Urban Policy and Research, 29(4), 381-399. https://doi.org/10.1080/08111146.2011.623295
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2025 Economics and Environment