Rethinking Urbanization: A Transit-Information-Communication –Technology-Oriented Development Path for the Developing Countries and Post-Industrial Towns

Abstract

This study explores a new path of urbanization to enhance the conventional economy-led urban development practice by conducting an urban quality of life (Uqol) survey. It analyzes the Uqol evaluation gap caused by demographic attributes between developing countries, developed countries, and post-industrial town. We adopted a mixed-methods research design, including a literature review and an Uqol survey, to suggest the transit-oriented-development (TOD) and information-communication-technology (ICT) based urban-rural development concept. The finding indicates a disparity of Uqol mean score rankings among the developing countries, developed countries, and the marginalized post-industrial town. It highlights the health, transportation, socio-economic, and technological development in the developing countries strongly desired. Furthermore, Kruskal-Wallis H-test and Mann-Whitney U-test results show significant differences in economy, technology-ICT, smart living, and lifestyle within education, profession, age, and country groups. It clarifies that the well-being gap is shaped by demography and exhibited geographically, which implies TOD-ICT advancement can break down geographical barriers for achieving sustainable growth in remote areas. Supported by the planetary urbanization theory, the human-technology-driven urban development process would facilitate the maturity and implementation of the proposed TOD-ICT-based urban-ruralism (UxR) concept for enhancing the future global urbanization process.

Keywords

• human and social geography
• information-communication-technology
• urban policymaking
• transit-oriented-development
• urban quality of life