Western Small Towns, Cities And Towns Function Evaluation Studies

Under the background of the accelerated urbanization and the practice of the Grand Western Development Program, based on the theoretical analysis and research on the city functions and its appraisement both domestically and abroad, this dissertation comprehensively establishes an appraisal index system of city functions for the small and medium cities in West China in terms of multidimensional key elements which influence the performance of city functions, and sets up a database by sampling the Three-Gorges Reservoir Area, then roundly appraises the development of small and medium cities in this area in 2005 through the model of Multivariate Statistics in Sociology Research such as the Factor and Cluster Analysis Method. At last, it raises some feasible suggestions and measures suitable for their function development.Chapter One illustrates the purpose and significance of this study and reviews related research in China and other countries, and also introduces the foundations, methods, viewpoints and the technique route of this research.Chapter Two firstly analyses the connotation and categories of city functions deeply, and discusses the functional characters of the small and medium cities in West China, which is the logical starting point of our research. Secondly, according to the theoretical meanings, practical requirements, principles and features of index system of city functions, an appraisal index system of city functions suitable for the characters of small and medium cities in West China is established, by an analysis of both qualitative and quantitative method. This index system is consist of four levels, including the level of purpose, the level of hypo-purpose, the level of items and the level of indexes, which contains totally 44 indexes. Finally, this chapter demonstrates the two appraisal methods in this research. The theory and process of the Factor and Cluster Analysis Method are explained in detail.Chapter Three mainly deals with empirical analysis, that is, to analyze the city functions of the Three-Gorges Reservoir Area through the Factor and Cluster Analysis Method. Firstly, it describes the source and process method of the data indexes, and sets up a database based on the adjustment of the established index system, which is aimed at the acquired data and actual developmental level of these cities. Secondly, it decides the main factors which influence the city functions of Three-Gorges Reservoir Area most by Factor Analysis Method, and then synthetically ranks the scores of city functions in these areas. At the end, the Cluster Analysis method is used to classify them. Based on the above comprehensive evaluation, Chapter Four puts forward some feasible suggestions and measures suitable for the city function development in Three-Gorges Reservoir Area. Considered the regional characters and social economical development of these cities, these suggestions are made respectively according to amenity functions, intensive-extensive functions, environment functions and creation functions.Finally, it summarizes the main contents and innovations in this dissertation, generalizes the elicitation meaning and policy signification of the conclusion, and puts forward the problems and directions that need to be further studied in the thesis.