Sustainable cities: do political factors determine the quality of life?

Abstract

The implementation of urban sustainability practices is affected by political obstacles, in that the policy or the objectives sought either involve the deflection of resources initially allocated to other groups or are contrary to the concerns pursued by interest groups who have the power to veto them by exerting pressure on the party in power. In this sense, the aim of this paper is to evidence the impact that political factors have on cities' sustainability, and the effect of the latter on cities' business development. The results obtained showed that political competition has a positive effect on cities' sustainability, while a leftist ideology has an inverse impact. On the other hand, a significant direct relationship has been observed between urban sustainability and municipal economic activity.

Determinants of online intellectual capital disclosure by Spanish local governments

“…Previous empirical studies have found that the population size exerts a significant positive influence on online diffusion of information through websites (Albalate, 2013; Brusca et al , 2016; Cárcaba and García, 2010; Cuadrado et al , 2014; García et al , 2013; Navarro et al , 2018; Serrano et al , 2009; Styles and Tennyson, 2007). In contrast, some studies show that size is not a predictive factor for the online dissemination of information (Alcaraz et al , 2014; García et al , 2016; Prado et al , 2012; Tavares and da Cruz, 2017), while Da Costa et al (2007) found an inverse relationship.…”

“…Likewise, the political ideology of the ruling party may affect issues of government transparency and sustainable disclosure. Some researchers point out the political ideology of the ruling party may also influence the e-disclosure practices in local governments (Albalate, 2013; Araujo and Tejedo, 2016; Cárcaba and García, 2010; Gaia and Jones, 2019; García et al , 2013; Guillamón et al , 2011; Prado et al , 2012). Specifically, Prado et al (2012) notice that parties with conservative tendencies undertake an additional effort to establish sustainable practices in order to attract progressive ideology voters.…”

“…Some researchers point out the political ideology of the ruling party may also influence the e-disclosure practices in local governments (Albalate, 2013; Araujo and Tejedo, 2016; Cárcaba and García, 2010; Gaia and Jones, 2019; García et al , 2013; Guillamón et al , 2011; Prado et al , 2012). Specifically, Prado et al (2012) notice that parties with conservative tendencies undertake an additional effort to establish sustainable practices in order to attract progressive ideology voters. Likewise, Tolbert et al (2008) argue that right-wing governments, which are inclined to lower public spending, are more likely to adopt e-government initiatives and, therefore, disclose more online information, since this implies increased efficiency and cost reduction.…”