Re-organizing land information: from analogue to digital systems
Keywords (max. 5): digitalization, land, information, organization,
Fieldwork Location: This is the MSc student’s choice;
Many land administration and spatial planning organizations are undergoing processes of digitalization of their spatial data holdings, communication networks, and work flows. This is not a straight-forward task of simply digitizing paper records and making these data available online. The process involves changes in the structure of organizations; it influences work practices, brings about or requires changes in staff and personnel, requires technological and financial re-calculations, etc. It is difficult, takes considerable time and effort, especially for large-scale organizations and sometimes fails. Importantly, the implementation of digital technologies influences inclusion and exclusion of different stakeholders, along with their varying interests and means to participate in land administration and spatial planning. The research explores the process of digitalization of land records in order to better understand some of the above mentioned issues from an organizational or political perspective in a specific case
Methodological approaches and data collection/analysis methods depend on the research questions, which a student develops in the course of proposal writing. Mixed method approaches are encouraged, especially the creative use of spatial technologies and spatial data in the process of research. However, given the topic it is likely that more emphasis is put on textual data sources and qualitative (spatial) analysis. Main evaluation criteria for the proposal are: relevance of aims, methodological coherence, and practical feasibility of the research. The case chosen for research can be a geographic or administrative peri-/urban region, an organization or governmental department, or a specific initiative or project that cuts across organizational or departmental boundaries. The digitalization effort may take place in the form of GIS and Land Information Systems implementation, involve the use of mobile sensor generated digital data, and/or be part of smart city development.