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Barriers to communication

A literature review

The Annals of Regional Science volume 24, pages 337–357 (1990)Cite this article

Abstract

There are many diverse forms of barrier which impede the communications process. These barriers are particularly important in the context of the spatial sciences, but our understanding of their nature and significance is scant, as is out knowledge of the most appropriate way to handle them in modelling and policy assessment exercises. The actual literature on barriers to communications is relatively substantial, but it is spread across a wide range of disciplines and set in a variety of different contexts. This review attempts to bring together some of this material. It does not consider technical questions concerning the appropriate way to embrace barrier concepts in spatial models but rather looks at the nature of barriers and how they have been studied. Understanding of these more basic issues is a necessary precondition to the development of improved spatial models of communications.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Applied Microeconomics Research Group, Department of Economics, Loughborough University, LE11 3TU, Loughborough, England

    Kenneth Button

  2. Centre for Economic Research, Stabile Torretta, CH-6501, Bellinzona, Switzerland

    Fabio Rossera

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  1. Kenneth Button
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  2. Fabio Rossera
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Additional information

This literature review stems from work conducted under the auspices of the European Science Foundation, NECTAR group looking at questions concerning ‘Barriers to Communication’. The authors would like to acknowledge the helpful comments received on earlier drafts of the review from both participants at the NECTAR seminars in Zurich and Athens and from two referees of the Annals. The numerous remaining mistakes, errors of interpretation and misguided views remain the authors' responsibilities.

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Button, K., Rossera, F. Barriers to communication. Ann Reg Sci 24, 337–357 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01580478

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Keywords

  • Environmental Economic
  • Spatial Model
  • Communication Process
  • Basic Issue
  • Diverse Form