DEVELOPING AND VALIDATING A SCALE FOR ASSESSING THE OPEN SPACE REDUCTION MANAGEMENT MODEL TO SUSTAIN COMMUNITY SOCIAL LIFE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/IJLGC.1143022Keywords:
Community Social Life, Management Model, Open Space ReductionAbstract
Rapid urbanization in Karachi has accelerated the reduction of urban open spaces, leading to declining environmental quality and weakening neighbourhood social cohesion. Although the significance of open space management is widely recognized, there are no systematically validated, empirically supported methods for measuring Open Space Reduction Management Models (OSRMM), particularly in new urban settings such as those in Karachi. To address a substantial gap in research methodology on urban planning and social sustainability, this study aims to develop and validate a multidimensional instrument to measure the management of open-space reduction and its efficacy in supporting neighbourhood social life. This study employed a quantitative research design with purposive sampling. The scale items were developed from a comprehensive review of relevant theories and expert opinions. Data was collected from N=281 residents and experts in urban settings. Exploratory factor analysis identified and validated key factors using IBM SPSS Version 26 software. The findings showed that the OSR scale was valid and reliable for measuring urbanization, community social life, and urban policy and planning. These factors collectively account for 75.8 percent of the variance in this study. This research provides a robust instrument for assessing the open space reduction management model and significantly adds to the open space reduction literature. This study presents empirically validated and theoretically and practically significant instruments for future research and evidence-based management practices in urban open spaces. In conclusion, this study provides key insights by developing and validating a scale to assess the Open Space Reduction Management Model and its role in sustaining community social life in rapidly urbanizing cities like Karachi.
Downloads
References
Alwi, N. M. (2016). Ruang terbuka hijau: observing green social spaces in Central Jakarta. Journal of Urban Culture Research, 12 (1), 38-53
Asadollahi Asl Zarkhah, S., Harteveld, M., van Dorst, M., & Adlakha, D. (2025). The socio-spatial roles of public space as an enabler for community resilience. Urban Design International, 1-10.
Boateng, G. O., Neilands, T. B., Frongillo, E. A., Melgar-Quiñonez, H. R., & Young, S. L. (2018). Best practices for developing and validating scales for health, social, and behavioral research: A primer. Frontiers in Public Health, 6 (June), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2018.00149
Davis, L. L. (1992). Instrument review: Getting the most from a panel of experts. Applied Nursing Research, 5(4), 194-197.
Farooq, M. U., ur Rahman, A., Qasim, M., Hashim, M., & Batool, S. (2023). Evaluation of Physical Expansion of Built Environment in District Sargodha (Pakistan). Journal of Asian Development Studies, 12 (3), 1223-1235.
Gehl, J. (2011). “Three Types of Outdoor Activities,”“Life Between Buildings,” and “Outdoor Activities and the Quality of Outdoor Space”: from Life Between Buildings: Using Public Space (1987). In The city reader (pp. 586-608). Routledge.
Ho, R., & Au, W. T. (2020). Scale development for environmental perception of public space. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 596790.
Hasan, M. T. (2020). Influence of Rules on User Behavior in Public Open Space of Hong Kong. Architecture Research, 10 (4), 102-108.
Hair, J. F., Risher, J. J., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C. M. (2019). When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. European Business Review, 31(1), 2–24. https://doi.org/10.1108/EBR-11-2018-0203
Jahanvi, J., & Sharma, M. (2021). Brand respect: Conceptualization, scale development and validation. Journal of Business Research, 132 (June 2020), 115–123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.04.016.
Kyriazos, T. A. (2018). Applied psychometrics: sample size and sample power considerations in factor analysis (EFA, CFA) and SEM in general. Psychology, 9 (8), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.4236/psych.2018.98126.
Lewicka, M. (2011). Place attachment: How far have we come in the last 40 years?. Journal of environmental psychology, 31(3), 207-230.
McDougall, C. W., Malden, S., Morrison, K., Mason, S., Williams, A. J., & Jepson, R. (2024). Development and testing of the Perceived Wellbeing in Outdoor Shared Spaces (PWOSS) scale. Wellbeing, Space and Society, 6, 100203.
Malek, N. A., Mohammad, S. Z., & Nashar, A. (2018). Determinant factor for quality green open space assessment in Malaysia. Journal of Design and Built Environment, 182), 26-36.
Nolasco-Cirugeda, A., Serrano-Estrada, L., & Martí Ciriquián, P. (2014). The study of the public space. Urbanismo 2.
Othman, N.H., Othman, N., & Juhdi, N.H. (2019). Determining the validity and reliability of entrepreneurial emotion. Academy of Entrepreneurship Journal, 25 (3), 1-5.
Puplampu, D. A., & Boafo, Y. A. (2021). Exploring the impacts of urban expansion on green spaces availability and delivery of ecosystem services in the Accra metropolis.Environmental Challenges, 5, 100283.
Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2006). The content validity index: are you sure you know what's being reported? Critique and recommendations. Research in Nursing & Health, 29 (5), 489-497.
Pratama, I. D., & Roziqin, A. (2021). Tata Kelola Kolaboratif Ruang Terbuka Hijau: Sebuah Kajian Pustaka Terstruktur (Systematic Literature Review). Jurnal Komunikasi Pembangunan, 19(02), 125-139.
Sharifi, A. (2023). Resilience of urban social-ecological-technological systems (SETS): A review. Sustainable Cities and Society, 99, 104910.
Soewin, E., & Chinda, T. (2018). Factors affecting construction performance: exploratory factor analysis. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, IOP Publishing, 140 (1), 012102. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/140/1/012102
Taherdoost, H. (2019). What is the best response scale for survey and questionnaire design; review of different lengths of rating scale/attitude scale/Likert scale. International Journal of Academic Research in Management (IJARM), 8.
Watkins, M. W. (2018). Exploratory factor analysis: A guide to best practice. Journal of Black Psychology, 44 (3), 219-246. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095798418771807
Yang, C., Wang, K., Shi, S., & Ma, X. (2025). Associations between green open spaces and social interaction in neighbourhoods: a systematic literature review. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 128991.
Yang, R. (2024). Analysis of Influencing Factors of Urban Green Space Accessibility and Residents' Satisfaction.
Zhang, L., Cao, H., & Han, R. (2021). Residents’ preferences and perceptions toward green open spaces in an urban area. Sustainability, 13 (3), 1558.
