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Some aspects of the intraregional spatial distribution of local sector activities

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Abstract

This paper focuses on the spatial distribution of economic activities that serve the demands of households within a region. The level of local sector activities is measured by employment per inhabitant. The basic hypothesis relates to how this proportion varies systematically over space for a wide range of geographies, from high values in a city center to low values in areas adjacent to the city center, and asymptotically approaching the average regional level as the distance from the center increases. This defines a curve that we (under quite general conditions) find to be invariant under changes in the spatial residential pattern and the transportation structure. This suggests that relationships of this kind might be a powerful tool in the prediction of regional development.

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Notes

  1. Note that E6 is a borderline to several of these municipalities. This explains why some of the distances in Table 1 are roughly equal.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Stord/Haugesund College, Bjørnsonsgate 45, N-5528, Haugesund, Norway

    Arnstein Gjestland & Inge Thorsen

  2. Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration, Helleveien 30, N-5045, Bergen, Norway

    Jan Ubøe

Authors
  1. Arnstein Gjestland
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  2. Inge Thorsen
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  3. Jan Ubøe
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Correspondence to Inge Thorsen.

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Gjestland, A., Thorsen, I. & Ubøe, J. Some aspects of the intraregional spatial distribution of local sector activities. Ann Reg Sci 40, 559–582 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00168-006-0073-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00168-006-0073-7

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