|
on Urban and Real Estate Economics |
| By: | Ioulia Ossokina; Gerard Verweij |
| Abstract: | This paper studies the effects on house prices of traffic nuisance on local streets. As source of exogenous variation in traffic nuisance we use the opening of a new state highway N14 in the Netherlands. This transport innovation altered the traffic density on the adjacent streets for some households, but left others unaffected. Controlling for spatial and house heterogeneity, we find that doubling of traffic density reduces housing prices with about 2%, what implies an upper value of traffic noise discount of about 0.5% per decibel. Our results indicate further that traffic nuisance discounts are likely to be misestimated in cross-sectional studies because nuisance tends to be correlated with omitted neighbourhood and housing amenities. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p606&r=ure |
| By: | Michael Bentlage; Alain Thierstein; Stefan Lüthi |
| Abstract: | Flows and inter-linkages between and within polycentric metropolitan regions have become a fundamental topic in regional sciences. The knowledge economy as a primary driver of spatial restructuring is forming these relations by generating knowledge within a spatially fine graded division of labor. This process drives companies to cooperate in intra firm and extra firm networks which in turn evoke patterns of interdependent spatial entities. The aim of the paper is twofold. Firstly, we analyze spatial patterns within these firm networks and secondly we combine this network approach with the development of the economic and spatial structure of German agglomerations. Inspired by formal social network analysis and spatial association statistics we apply methods to discover spatial clustering within relational data. We assume that relations between and within polycentric Mega-City Regions in Germany and its neighboring areas constitute a new form of hierarchical urban systems. Network analysis will help to detect locations of high centrality; cluster analyses of location-based data may show specific regional patterns of connectivity. We hypothesize that the position of locations within the functional urban hierarchy depends on the spatial scale of analysis: global, European, national or regional. Furthermore, we combine this relational perspective with an analysis of the economic development within these spatial entities. Here we assume that intensive interaction between functional urban areas has a high influence on their performance over time with regard to output indicators like labor, value-added and gross domestic product. Therefore we apply methods of spatial and network autocorrelation. We hypothesize that relational proximity influences economic development more intensively than effects of agglomeration and geographical proximity do. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p998&r=ure |
| By: | Harry Garretsen |
| Abstract: | In this paper we have combined concepts from the field of urban economics with views from the area of geographic economics (the New Economic Geography). This approach enabled us to depict both the significance of the characteristics of the city itself and that of its location. Cities which combine a favourable location in terms of distance to work with a variety of urban amenities appear to be the most attractive locations for people to live. These are relatively safe cities, offering a variety of history and culture events, as well as good restaurants. In addition, successful cities are places where people can optimize their career prospects, not necessarily – as often assumed – as a result of business districts in these cities, but access to jobs from these cities. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1274&r=ure |
| By: | Vincent Breteau (LVMT - Laboratoire Ville, Mobilité, Transport - Université Paris-Est - Ecole des Ponts ParisTech - IFSTTAR, CGDD - Commissariat Général au Développement Durable - Ministère de l'Ecologie, du Développement Durable, des Transports et du Logement); Fabien Leurent (LVMT - Laboratoire Ville, Mobilité, Transport - Université Paris-Est - Ecole des Ponts ParisTech - IFSTTAR) |
| Abstract: | Our objective in this paper is twofold: first, we want to give a theoretical founding to empirical findings of several works that emphasize the fact that while distance traveled increases with household location distance from the city center, transportation time tends to decrease, thus offering a strong incentive to sprawl. Second, we want to analyze the impact of job dispersal on city size, overall distance traveled and transportation cost, along with other urban variables, and spatial equity. We therefore develop an extended monocentric model of city taking into account employment dispersal and varying unit commuting costs. Using this model, we show that under specific conditions including employment dispersal and high marginal transportation cost around city center, the distance traveled by households from home to workplace increases with their distance from the city center, while private transportation costs they endure decrease. Then, based on a surplus analysis, we show that city size moderately increases with the level of employment dispersal, while overall home-to-work distance traveled decreases, suggesting that job decentralization might entail savings in social costs of transportation. However, our findings show that such dispersal could entail spatial inequity: the households living near the city center could suffer a welfare loss. |
| Keywords: | Residential location; Urban Sprawl; Job decentralization; Commuting |
| Date: | 2011–11–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-00637406&r=ure |
| By: | Cecile Detang-Dessendre; Gary Hunt; Virginie Piguet; Andrew Plantinga |
| Abstract: | Understanding the causes and consequences of human migration has long been of interest to urban and regional economists. Empirical studies build on the theoretical results of Roback (1982) and Mueser and Graves (1995) by estimating the effects of wages, housing prices, and amenities on inter-area migration. Findings with respect to amenities are clear (e.g., Rappaport 2007), and household-level studies consistently find that relative wages or incomes increase the probability that a household will select a given location (e.g., Berger and Blomquist 1992). In contrast, the results for housing prices are inconclusive. Studies that include area-level measures (e.g., median housing price for a metropolitan area) find a mix of negative, positive, and insignificant effects on inter-area migration decisions (e.g., Hunt and Mueller 2004). Many migration studies exclude housing price measures. This paper investigates the role of housing prices in influencing inter-urban household migration decisions. An important contribution of the study is the development of a new method for representing housing prices in migration analyses. Following the approach commonly used to model wages in studies of household migration, we identify the form of the utility function for which individual-specific housing prices can be predicted for unselected areas as a function of individual characteristics. Our theoretical results guide the development of an empirical measure of housing costs that accounts for the decision to own or rent and the cost of holding housing capital. We test our housing cost measure using the 2000 PUMS to identify point-to-point migration decisions for a large sample of college-educated males residing in 291 U.S. metropolitan areas. We estimate conditional logit models of metropolitan area choice, controlling for wages, a large range of amenities, and expected housing costs. Our key finding is that our proposed housing cost measure yields the expected results (higher housing prices reduce the probability that an area is selected), which is robust to alternative specifications and samples. We re-estimate our model using three alternative metropolitan area measures of housing costs: median house price, average apartment rent, and average urban land rent. We find that these measures consistently yield counterintuitive results. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p938&r=ure |
| By: | Amnon Frenkel; Edward Benedit; Sigal Kaplan |
| Abstract: | Knowledge-workers belonging to the super-creative core of the creative-class are considered a mean to induce economic growth and to sharpen the regional competitive edge. Driven by the key-role of housing in attracting and retaining knowledge-workers, most studies focus on the residential choice of knowledge workers at the inter-metropolitan level. In contrast, empirical evidence and analysis at the intra-metropolitan level are scarce. This study focuses on investigating the tradeoff among location amenities, workplace and lifestyle in the residential choice of knowledge-workers at the intra-metropolitan level. The importance of this issue derives from the key-role of housing as enabler for attracting and retaining knowledge-workers, and from evidence regarding the contradicting role of knowledge-workers both as catalysts to urban revitalization and as contributors to urban sprawl. Consequently, understanding the determinants of knowledge-workers' residential choice is essential for suggesting policy measures to attract and to retain knowledge workers, while promoting sustainable urban development. Multinomial logit and nested logit models are estimated for the location choice within the metropolitan area. Residential alternatives include several community types in the metropolitan core and surrounding concentric rings. Considered amenities are municipal socio-economic ranking, municipal investment in education, housing density, population composition in terms of age and creative occupations, and land-use shares allocated to public open spaces, culture and sport, public services, healthcare, education and industry. Workplace attributes are location and self-reported commuting time to work. Lifestyle is viewed from a holistic perspective encompassing lifecycle stage, work-role and leisure consumption, subject to available budget and level of mobility. The proposed model is applied to 837 observations of actual housing choices collected by means of a custom-designed web-based survey. Survey respondents consist of knowledge-workers in high-technology and financial business services, who work and reside in Tel Aviv metropolitan region, also known as the ‘the startup metropolis’. The empirical results reveal the relative importance of location amenities, workplace location and lifestyle in the residential location choice of knowledge workers. Relevant policy directions are suggested and discussed. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p208&r=ure |
| By: | Sabrina Iommi; Patrizia Lattarulo |
| Abstract: | Cities have recently been affected by important changes both as regards their role in general economic growth and their spatial structure. As for the first issue, market globalisation has heightened territorial competition and cities, as places with a concentration of economic activities and workers and potential cradles of innovation, have found a new leading role in determining the future development of the regions and nations they belong to; as for the second issue, improvements in transportation and communication systems have reduced the necessity for proximity, thus leading to a new urban form which has been given many labels (low-density city, scattered city, dispersed city, exploded city, urban sprawl, etc.), but has clearly lost two traditional urban aspects: the territorial concentration of the population and economic activities and the certainty of city boundaries, intended both in physical and administrative terms. The last item is particularly important in territorial contexts, like in Italy, characterised by a large number of small local governments: in fact the spillover of cities from their traditional boundaries has provoked a twofold negative effect, that is, growing difficulties in understanding and in managing urban problems and opportunities. Keeping the described context as a framework, this paper aims to analyse the population movements that affected the chief regional city of Tuscany over a ten-year period (more precisely 1998-2008), in order to deduce their related causes and effects. The model developed was based on microeconomic data and connected the individual characteristics of the people leaving Florence (i.e. age, level of education, family size and composition) to the economic and territorial features of the places of destination (i.e. distance from Florence, real estate prices, social composition and functional mix). This application, based on an ordinarily little used data set, gave statistical evidence to residential choices and some measures of rental effects and search of amenities on urban sprawl. This insight could be reach of political implications. Given the subject-matter, the paper refers both to the literature on causes and patterns of residential mobility and to the one on causes and consequences of urban sprawl. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p786&r=ure |
| By: | Carlos Marmolejo Duarte; Manuel Ruiz Lineros; Jorge Cerda Troncoso; Josep Roca Cladera; Jaume Masip Tresserra |
| Abstract: | Demographic projections have become in a useful tool in the planning of urban land provision. In the context of a more comprehensive research orientated towards the construction of a system to evaluate the impact of new infrastructure and urban projects on the efficiency of metropolis (i.e. in terms of mobility and environmental sustenaibility) a prospective urban growth model has been built-in. In this paper such a model is exposed. The model simulates the natural movement of population across the time and space, at the time that allows for migration according to the capacity of labor market to absorb new working migrants. The outputs suggest the total population, employment and housing demand in a spatial-temporal framework. Results for Catalonia and the Metropolitan Region of Barcelona illustrate the use of the model. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p120&r=ure |
| By: | Adelheid Holl; Rafael Pardo; Ruth Rama |
| Abstract: | We study the spatial pattern of Just-in-Time (JIT) adoption for a sample of medium-sized and large Spanish manufacturing firms. JIT differs from other advanced manufacturing technologies because it relates directly to the spatial coordination of a firms’ internal production organisation with its external productive environment and depends on the quality of the transport system. Our results confirm the distinctive role of location for JIT adoption even after controlling for industry and plant-specific differences. We find that JIT adoption is greater in smaller cities but with higher transport accessibility indicating that urban congestion in larger urban areas likely reduces the benefits that firms may obtain from JIT implementation. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p385&r=ure |
| By: | Andra C. Ghent; Rubén Hernández-Murillo; Michael T. Owyang |
| Abstract: | We investigate whether race and ethnicity influenced subprime loan pricing during 2005, the peak of the subprime mortgage expansion. We combine loan-level data on the performance of non-prime securitized mortgages with individual- and neighborhood-level data on racial and ethnic characteristics for metropolitan areas in California and Florida. Using a model of rate determination that accounts for predicted loan performance, we evaluate the presence of statistical and taste-based discrimination, as well as disparate impact and disparate treatment discrimination, in mortgage rates. We find evidence of redlining as well as adverse pricing for blacks and Hispanics. |
| Keywords: | Subprime mortgage ; Housing policy ; Discrimination in mortgage loans |
| Date: | 2011 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fip:fedlwp:2011-033&r=ure |
| By: | Emili Tortosa-Ausina; Luisa Alamá; Ana M Fuertes-Eugenio; Marta Roig-Casanova |
| Abstract: | There is a large literature on the existence of agglomeration economies, as shown in the surveys by Moomaw (1983) or Gerking (1993). The benefits of these economies arise from multiple sources, but some negative externalities might also emerge. Within the hierarchical urban system, cities at different ranks (different size) take on different economic functions with variant 'efficient sizes' (Capello and Camagni, 2000) and, indeed, the distributions of cities' relative size have been stable in many countries (Black and Henderson, 1999; Eaton and Eckstein, 1997; Nitsch, 2005) and, in many cases they obey the Zipf's law (Gabaix, 1999). If a city is able to adjust its spatial structure to offset the negative exter- nalities due to its size, it will be able to keep growing. If that is not possible, it might be more convenient to transit from a monocentric to a polycentric structure, which is usually considered as a possible strategy to eliminate diseconomies in urban economics (Sasaki and Mun, 1996; Fujita et al., 1997). However, there is little empirical evidence on the links between urban spatial structure and growth---which are usually understood within the context of urban evolution. One notable exception is the study by Cervero (2001), where it is argued that more compact, centralized and accessible cities are usually associated with higher productivity levels. In this context, this paper explores the links between urban spatial structure and economic growth in metropolitan areas in Spain, where this type of analysis is virtually non-existent. However, it is a relevant policy issue due to a variety of reasons such as the increased urban sprawl and the different costs it brings about. The analysis will also enable to evaluate if there is any particular type of urban spatial structure which prevails on the grounds of its superior efficiency, together with evaluating if an efficient urban spatial structure hinges on the size and other attributes specific to each particular metropolitan area. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1703&r=ure |
| By: | Yuri Yegorov |
| Abstract: | The goal of this work is to suggest a mechanism explaining different spatial patterns of residential locations. The basic idea is counterbalance of centripetal and centrifugal forces. This paper complements the previous author's works in this area. This article addresses the following questions: a) agglomeration potential, b) optimal city size, c) equilibrium agricultural density, d) influence of agglomeration on land rent. Both relative location and size distribution of cities and residential patterns in agricultural areas represent interesting objects of study. There exist two main forces, centripetal (agglomeration) and centrifugal (congestion) that shape urban areas. The origin of agglomeration forces is in scale economies, while congestion forces represent a cumulative negative externality from such agglomeration. Following the stylized facts about different production technologies, it is assumed that agricultural technology creates dispersion force (through intensive land use), while industrial technology creates agglomeration force. It is possible to find the optimal city size assuming some scale economies in production counterbalanced by commuting costs. Location heterogeneity is balanced across residents via location rent to bring identical utility. There might be two possibilities: finite optimal size (for low scale economies) and infinitely large city (for high scale economies). The rural community of farmers is also considered. Here the average distance to neighbor (as a proxy to market access) is balanced with the benefits from land ownership. The optimal rural population density is the point maximizing this potential. Finally, the spatial equilibrium is constructed. It consists of discrete cities of optimal size attracting certain fraction of the population and the continuous farmland between them. The concept of potential for agro-industrial cluster is also introduced. It is assumed that rural resident has an access to scale economies in production of a city via commuting, and also has land slot for agricultural activity. There exists equilibrium land rent giving agents identical utility. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p110&r=ure |
| By: | Joao Marques; Eduardo Castro; Arnab Bhattacharjee |
| Abstract: | This presentation emphasizes the quantitative analysis of space in relation to hedonic housing price models. Three aspects of space will be highlighted: i) spatial heterogeneity (spatial patterns): hedonic housing amenities may be valued differently in different locations which are related to specific housing sub-markets; ii) spatial dependence (spillovers): the degree by which price increases (or decreases) in a given sub-market is influenced by other sub-markets, or by another property within the same sub-market. iii) spatial scale: the study of heterogeneity and spillovers crucially depends on the level of geographical scale at which submarkets are defined. In the literature the difficulty of defining sub-markets and understanding the relationship between them is broadly identified, and appropriate methods for defining housing markets are also presented. However, there is not a consensus on which methodologies should be used. As a contribution to understand spatial structure (heterogeneity and spillovers) in urban spaces some empirical results will be presented. A new methodology to analyse spatial spillovers [rather than an ex ante definition of a spatial weight matrix (W)] will be developed. This procedure based on non-parametric approach will be applied to a rich database. An interesting outcome of this methodology is possibility of finding meaningful values of negative interaction. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1420&r=ure |
| By: | Cotter, John; Gabriel, Stuart; Roll, Richard |
| Abstract: | This paper explores integration and contagion among US metropolitan housing markets. The analysis applies Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) house price repeat sales indexes from 384 metropolitan areas to estimate a multi-factor model of U.S. housing market integration. It then identifies statistical jumps in metropolitan house price returns as well as MSA contemporaneous and lagged jump correlations. Finally, the paper evaluates contagion in housing markets via parametric assessment of MSA house price spatial dynamics. A R-squared measure reveals an upward trend in MSA housing market integration over the 2000s to approximately .83 in 2010. Among California MSAs, the trend was especially pronounced, as average integration increased from about .55 in 1997 to close to .95 in 2008! The 2000s bubble period similarly was characterized by elevated incidence of statistical jumps in housing returns. Again, jump incidence and MSA jump correlations were especially high in California. Analysis of contagion among California markets indicates that house price returns in San Francisco often led those of surrounding communities; in contrast, southern California MSA house price returns appeared to move largely in lock step. The high levels of housing market integration evidenced in the analysis suggest limited investor opportunity to diversify away MSA-specific housing risk. Further, results suggest that macro and policy shocks propagate through a large number of MSA housing markets. Research findings are relevant to all market participants, including institutional investors in MBS as well as those who regulate housing, the housing GSEs, mortgage lenders, and related financial institutions. |
| Keywords: | integration; correlation; contagion; house price returns |
| JEL: | G11 G12 G10 |
| Date: | 2011 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:34591&r=ure |
| By: | Elif Alkay |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates home to work travel pattern in the Istanbul Metropolitan Area. Investigation explores commuting pattern in three steps. In the first step, the reasons for changing commuting time are explored initially in relationship to urban structure. Added explanation then considers the gender, tenure type, income, occupation and commuting type. The result related with gender is consistent with the previous studies however income is not. Occupation and commuting type appear to be strongly affected on differences on commuting time. In the second step, the home to work travel pattern is explored whether it reflects consistency with the standard urban economic theory. Results reflect that the behavioral assumption of cost minimization for the journey to work in the standard model is inadequate when explaining the relation between job and housing location. In the third step, the home to work travel pattern is investigated in local context in terms of spatial distribution of workers both on working and residential areas. While living and working at the same geographic part of the metropolitan area or the district decreases the commuting time, living and working at the different geographic part of the metropolitan area or the district significantly increases the commuting time. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p371&r=ure |
| By: | Christian Dreger; Yanqun Zhang |
| Abstract: | For many analysts, the Chinese economy is spurred by a bubble in the housing market, probably driven by the fiscal stimulus package and massive credit expansion, with possible adverse effects to the real economy. For example, the stock of loans increased by more than 50 percent since the end of 2008. The government urged banks to increase lending to mitigate the economic slowdown. Home mortgage loans have played a significant role in the development, as they account for one third of the total lending activities. Banks have provided easy credit for housing development, probably without sufficient evaluation of risks. State-owned enterprises may have stimulated the development, as they have access to low cost capital and may believe they are too big to fail. In this paper, the house price development is investigated both at the national and regional level. First, it is investigated whether a bubble exists. Analysis is based on a long run equilibrium between real house prices and demographic and macroeconomic conditions. Using a regional dataset for 35 major Chinese cities, the size of the bubble is estimated relative to the fundamental level implied by the panel cointegrating relationship. Second, the impact of real house prices on CPI inflation and GDP growth is investigated at the national level using an in sample and out of sample framework. The results indicate the presence of a house price bubble. Real house prices are 25 percent above their equilibrium value. The bubble is especially pronounced in the cities of the southeast coastal areas and the special economic zones. While the impact of real house prices on CPI inflation seems to be rather strong, GDP growth may not be heavily affected. Real house prices do not cause GDP growth, and point forecasts of GDP growth are not improved if the house price evolution is taken into account. These findings might reflect a limited exposure of private households expenditures to housing wealth. Therefore, a decline of the bubble could have only modest effects on the course of the real economy. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p261&r=ure |
| By: | Mark Van Duijn; Jan Rouwendal |
| Abstract: | Local amenities are an important factor in the location choice of households. Heterogeneity in preferences of households tends to sort households over different locations which satisfy best their preferences given their constraints. In this paper, we analyze the effect of cultural heritage on the location choice of households using a residential sorting model. Cultural heritage is often a determining factor of the specific atmosphere of a location and is valued as such by its residents. Since the attractiveness of a residential location may be affected by amenities in the surrounding locations, spatial econometrics is used to deal with these interdependencies. Our model accounts for unobserved characteristics of locations, heterogeneity of households and spatial correlation between the observed (and unobserved) attractiveness of locations. The results show, for instance, that the willingness to pay of highly educated households to reside in municipalities close to a high concentration of cultural heritage is higher than other types of households. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p648&r=ure |
| By: | Sven Conventz; Alain Thierstein |
| Abstract: | The airplane is gradually creating a completely new spatial pattern as did other kinds of transportation modes in the past. Successively, international airports have gone through a morphogenesis from original pure infrastructure facilities into multimodal and multilayered spatial growth poles and center of competences. Landside infrastructure investments have converted airports and their hinterland into spaces of highest accessibility. The airports unique locational advantages and the growing segment of non-aviation activities on the part of the airport operators have made airports an advantageous business location for knowledge-intensive industries. At the same time airports have become a crucial asset for city-regions especially those competing on a European or international spatial level for future-oriented enterprises and highly skilled employees. The paper asks about the general interplay between airports, air transport and the knowledge economy. What are the contributions of the knowledge economy that explain the economic effects of airports on the spatial structure? What kinds of knowledge economy linked locational patterns have already emerged around airports? What is their spatial relationship to more traditional locations for example within the core cities? Why does an array of knowledge-based companies relocate their business activities at spaces of highest accessibility such as international airports? This paper analyzes aviation induced spatial patterns and processes of specialization around European airports, especially around those with hub function. First results show that airports and their vicinities have become attractive sites for real estate developments and property-led capital accumulation. Locations directly at or close by international airports are notably in demand among highly globalized sectors characterized by their need for frequent face-to-face interaction, high value products and services. As the traditional role of airports is redefined a new spatial quality and entity within the city regions is evolving. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1569&r=ure |
| By: | Toon Vandyck; Stef Proost |
| Abstract: | This paper discusses incentives for investments in transport infrastructure and commuting subsidies in a multi-region framework. Responsibilities of fiscal treatment of commuting expenses, public provision of road infrastructure and road pricing are distributed among different levels of government. The incentives of governments are discussed in a setting with commuting from a peripheral, less productive area to an urban agglomeration or city center. The interactions between investment in transport infrastructure, road pricing and commuting subsidies are analyzed. First, the optimal number of commuters from the point of view of the federation is derived in a first best situation. When a tax on labor is levied to finance the investment in transportation, a commuting subsidy can correct the labor tax distortion and the first best outcome can be obtained. However, when the peripheral region is in control of the transport policy and perceives its position as a dominant supplier of labor, the regional government will have an incentive to strategically restrict the number of commuters. This will lead to a commuting tax. In addition, there will be underinvestment in infrastructure investment. The city government faces different incentives. On the one hand, profits made in the city increase with the commuting flow. Assuming profits are captured locally, the city thus benefits from a higher number of commuters. On the other hand, the city can raise tax revenues by taxing commuters. Therefore, tax exporting behavior can be one of the drivers of the city’s transport policy. The result is a situation where the city invests in transport infrastructure to attract commuters and sets a tax on commuters to raise government revenues. We show that the intensity of the regional strategic behavior is affected by firm ownership structure, the number of labor-supplying regions and the revenue-sharing mechanism in the federation. The paper also looks into vertical tax competition and identifies possibilities for the federal government to correct the incentive structure through mechanism design. A numerical example illustrates the insights for commuting in Belgium. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p892&r=ure |
| By: | Fani Bakratsa |
| Abstract: | The dominant metabolic system within urban environments often involves deep socio-economic inequalities, exploitative productive practices and a persistent sense of alienation among the vast majority of the population. The city itself spawns the conditions both for the development of actual criminality and, more perniciously, for the emergence of an acute perception of fear within the polis. Over the years, this perception has affected a whole array of societal elements including, quite significantly, the spatial structure of neighborhoods, urban forms and housing design. The big boom of gated communities signifies the development of social segregation and the tendency to ensure ontological security behind impenetrable walls. The development of off-center exclusive communities, parallel to the inner city impoverished neighborhoods establishes the “new ghettos trendâ€. The new gated suburbs seem to have increased safety measures such as surveillance cameras, security personnel, high fences, moat-like structures, dead-end roads etc., involving a complex defensive architecture, in order to eliminate random and unaccounted movements, to enhance a sense of security and minimize the perception of fear. This paper examines the complex inter-determinations between perceived fear of urban otherness and spatial appropriation, urban forms and housing design, aspects whose functional attributes address almost exclusively the fear factor. It also presents the results of a comparative field study of the exclusive neighborhoods of Hampstead and Psychiko, in greater London and Athens respectively, where the material manifestations of the fear – urban character inter-relationship are examined, including road plans, pedestrian areas, home security systems, housing design elements and, perhaps most revealingly, real estate values. Key words: exclusive suburbs, gated communities, perception of fear, defensive architecture, security. References: Amin A. (1994): “Post- Fordism: A Readerâ€, Blackwell Publishers Davis M. (2008): “Beyond Blade Runner: Urban control- The ecology of fearâ€, Futura Press Ellin N. (1996): “Postmodern Urbanismâ€, Princeton Architectural Press Low S. (2003): “Behind the gates: Life, security and the pursuit of happiness in fortress Americaâ€, Routledge Savage M., Warde A. (1993): “Urban Sociology, Capitalism and Modernityâ€, Palgrave Macmillan Sennett R. (1990): “The conscience of the eye: The design and social life of citiesâ€, Norton & Company |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p975&r=ure |
| By: | Hector Tapia; Mateu Turró |
| Abstract: | A well-designed urban public transport policy provides significant benefits: reduces congestion and costs, and decreases the number of accidents and environment impacts. Accessibility indicators are used by planners to assess the spatial effects of their proposals and to identify those areas requiring actions to ensure minimum conditions of service. They are also used in decision making on the implementation of new infrastructure projects or improvement of the existing ones. The paper first reviews the ICON indicator, which evaluates the connectivity of a location to the transport networks as a function of the minimum time required to reach the connection nodes of each network and the utility provided in these nodes. In the interurban ICON these networks include roads, railways, ports and airports. ICON is being used in planning and in project appraisal in interurban contexts to quantify in an understandable way the relationship between transport infrastructure and services endowment and variables that are spatially defined. But it has been seldom used in the urban environment context because its particularities introduce important methodological difficulties. The paper presents the adaptation of the ICON indicator to the public transport endowment of urban areas. It includes (a) the definition of a suitable URBan Indicator of CONnectivity (URBICON) providing a quantified spatial measure of connectivity to the transport networks and (b) an analysis of the possible uses of URBICON in regional, urban and transport planning and in project appraisal, through its integration with other spatial information (population, economic activity) and GIS tools. An application to the case of the city of Barcelona is presented, considering the public transport endowment in the year 2004. The URBICON provides an easy way to detect the areas that were poorly covered by the public transport system in 2004. Some of them are already covered by new or improved infrastructures and services and others should be served by 2014. This possibly shows that the zones detected by the URBICON correspond to those where planners have somehow decided to improve public transport services. URBICON thus appears as a powerful quantitative indicator to support urban planning. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p541&r=ure |
| By: | Tomoya Mori (Institute of Economic Research, Kyoto University); Tony E. Smith (Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania) |
| Abstract: | The standard approach to studying industrial agglomeration is to construct summary measures of the “degree of agglomeration” within each industry and to test for significant agglomeration with respect to some appropriate reference measure. But such summary measures often fail to distinguish between industries that exhibit substantially different spatial patterns of agglomeration. In a previous paper, a cluster-detection procedure was developed that yields a more detailed spatial representation of agglomeration patterns (Mori and Smith [28]). This methodology is here applied to the case of manufacturing industries in Japan, and is shown to yield a rich variety of agglomeration patterns. In addition, to analyze such patterns in a more quantitative way, a new set of measures is developed that focus on both the global extent and local density of agglomeration patterns. Here it is shown for the case of Japan that these measures provide a useful classification of pattern types that reflect a number of theoretical findings in the New Economic Geography. |
| Keywords: | Industrial Agglomeration, Cluster Analysis, Spatial Patterns of Agglomerations, New Economic Geography |
| JEL: | C49 L60 R12 R14 |
| Date: | 2011–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:kyo:wpaper:794&r=ure |
| By: | Nicolai Wendland |
| Abstract: | Can the demise of the monocentric economy across cities during the 20th century be explained by decreasing transport costs to the city center or are other fundamental forces at work? Taking a hybrid perspective of classical bid-rent theory and a world where clustering of economic activity is driven by (knowledge) spillovers, Berlin, Germany, from 1890 to 1936 serves as a case in point. We assess the extent to which firms in an environment of decreasing transport costs and industrial transformation face a trade-off between distance to the CBD and land rents and how agglomeration economies come into play in shaping their location decisions. Our results suggest that an observable flattening of the traditional distance to the CBD gradient may mask the emergence of significant agglomeration economies, especially within predominantly service-based inner city districts. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p218&r=ure |
| By: | Carmen Lizarraga; Ciro Jaramillo; Alejandro L. Grindlay |
| Abstract: | This article examines the theoretical framework for accessibility, social exclusion and provision of public transport. The socio-economic and urban characteristics of Latin American cities require the creation of specific indices to determine social needs for public transport. In the article an index of social transport needs is drawn up. It can be used to highlight a problem which is severely affecting wide groups in Latin America who suffer social exclusion aggravated by a deficient provision of public transport, and that the planning of public transport systems must take into account mechanisms which include social needs in the decision making process. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p936&r=ure |
| By: | Imre Lengyel |
| Abstract: | Nowadays, more and more scholars of regional science are interested in the role of agglomeration economies in the knowledge-based economy. This issue can be dealt with from different points of view: the competitive type of functional or nodal regions and one has to examine the factors influencing regional competitiveness. To improve competitiveness of regions, different economic development programmes must be applied, which means that the improvement of competitiveness requires different strategies based on the different types of regions. In this paper we outline our analytical framework: the pyramid model of regional competitiveness and the UFO-model of cluster-based regional economic development. After introducing, we are going to investigate into the competitiveness of Hungarian microregions (LAU1). Our statistical analysis to underline the classification of microregions by competitiveness types is based on a complex methodology of multi-variable data analysis. For the investigation of agglomeration economies in these different types of microregions we apply the location quotient (LQ) method and Ellison-Glaeser-index of traded sectors. The Local Moran Index (LISA), which can be interpreted as the local index of spatial autocorrelation, is used to calculate the neighbourhood effects of the microregions. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p674&r=ure |
| By: | Barreira, Ana (University of Algarve) |
| Abstract: | The existence of spatial strategic interaction between neighbouring local governments is often referred in literature and identified in empirical applications for several countries. The spatial interaction in local government expenditure finds support on three theoretical explanations: spillover effects, Tiebout competition or mimicking behaviour. Identify the adequate explanation for the local government interaction is not an easy task since the reduced form of the estimated model can generate indistinguishable pattern in spatial interactions. This paper seeks to identify between those theoretical explanations what is the underlying reason for spatial interaction in public expenditures among local governments for the case of a particular sub-area of Portugal. Using differentiated model configurations and the local government expenditures of the municipalities composing the Northern Portuguese mainland, between 1998 and 2008, the paper identifies the structural model that generates the observed spatial auto-correlation in local public expenditures. Among the various theoretical reasons, only the existence of spillovers effects finds support. |
| Keywords: | local public expenditures; horizontal spatial interaction; spatial econometrics |
| JEL: | C33 H72 H73 |
| Date: | 2011–03–31 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ris:cieodp:2011_002&r=ure |
| By: | Tuba Cekic; Ela Yazici |
| Abstract: | Istanbul, the largest metropolitan area in Turkey with a population of over 15 million inhabitants, lies close to major and active fault lines and has been previously hit by fatal earthquakes several times. Facing a high seismic risk as forecasted in a number of studies; Istanbul is particularly vulnerable due to the high density of old housing areas in the city center. Although there is a great body of knowledge in the literature focusing on the seismic risk of Istanbul and possible scenarios to strengthen the capacity for emergency preparedness in the event of future earthquakes, the attitudes and perceptions of housing investors living under the threat of the earthquake is yet to be explored. This study is an attempt to address this gap and aims to investigate the relationship between the location of the housing investment and perception of earthquake risk of the investors. Data was collected by means of a questionnaire from 117 participants, who made an investment in housing in Istanbul since 1999 Kocaeli earthquake. ArcGIS is used to indicate the spatial distribution of investment and the results provide empirical evidence of how spatial distribution of housing investment differs depending on the earthquake risk perception of the investors. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p194&r=ure |
| By: | Susan Dynarski; Jonathan Gruber; Danielle Li |
| Abstract: | The effect of vouchers on sorting between private and public schools depends upon the price elasticity of demand for private schooling. Estimating this elasticity is empirically challenging because prices and quantities are jointly determined in the market for private schooling. We exploit a unique and previously undocumented source of variation in private school tuition to estimate this key parameter. A majority of Catholic elementary schools offer discounts to families that enroll more than one child in the school in a given year. Catholic school tuition costs therefore depend upon the interaction of the number and spacing of a family’s children with the pricing policies of the local school. This within-neighborhood variation in tuition prices allows us to control for unobserved determinants of demand with a fine set of geographic fixed effects, while still identifying the price parameter. We use data from 3700 Catholic schools, matched to restricted Census data that identifies geography at the block level. We find that a standard deviation decrease in tuition prices increases the probability that a family will send its children to private school by one-half percentage point, which translates into an elasticity of Catholic school attendance with respect to tuition costs of -0.19. Our subgroup results suggest that a voucher program would disproportionately induce into private schools those who, along observable dimensions, are unlike those who currently attend private school. |
| Date: | 2011–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cen:wpaper:11-34&r=ure |
| By: | Gonzalo Cantos Mateos |
| Abstract: | The urban and regional influence of contemporary passengers, goods and information traffic within the new global economy based on knowledge and logistics, and the physical structures that shape the networks (harbours, airports, train stations, motorways) are assumed as capitally important. Nevertheless, so far, the impact of these dynamics is much more attached to hierarchical processes of socio-spatial fragmentation-segmentation-polarization rather than balanced re-distributive systems. Global connectivity has as much strengths as threats, and the integration within the new production, consumption and distribution geographies generates as much opportunities as irreversible mutations. Unplugged City is presented as an incursion on connectivity and accessibility, exploring the strengths and threats derived from the management of logistics and freight transport flows within the frame of the so-called “catch-up†economy. The Trans-European Transport Network Plan (TEN-T) will be on focus as the main policy-making framework behind the new geographical transformation in Europe. The importance of the exponential growing freight transport and logistic sector has been exposed as a key factor to understand the bases of current globalisation. The sharp changes generated by the dropping of transport cost in patterns of production-consumption-distribution geographies have to be contrasted with deep transformations of labour market, linkages between transport and industrial location and new network models. What is close is just what is cheap. Distances nowadays are no measured in kilometres or hours but in Euros, imposing a new logic for the global geographic structure. Regions with better access to locations of input materials and markets are assumed to be more productive, more competitive and hence more successful than more peripheral and isolated regions. But this hypothesis has to be urgently reformulated, contrasting transport policies with quantitative research and the appraisal of real socio-economic impact of the new transport geographies. The assumed idea of connectivity as pure benefiting will be critically discussed as a much complex phenomena. Corridors are fostering the survival of core regional centres meanwhile a growing regional imbalance is monitored; regions that still have to deal with environmental, budgetary and indirect issues derived from the management of these flows. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p795&r=ure |
| By: | Jan Ubøe; Inge Thorsen; David McArthur |
| Abstract: | Large-scale models are often used in the urban planning context to model the effects of, for instance, a change in land-use policies or transportation infrastructure. This class of models accounts for factors such as the spatial distribution of jobs and workers, commuting flows, housing markets, modal choice and so on. One criticism of such models is their complexity, computational demands and data requirements. In this paper, we develop a model which shares certain features with large-scale models, but which is appropriate for studying development at the intra-regional level in a rural setting. The rural setting means that not all of the traditional features of a large-scale model are relevant, and these can therefore be omitted. This allows us to create a simple model which still captures the most relevant effects of large-scale models. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1243&r=ure |
| By: | Badi H. Baltagi; Bernard Fingleton; Alain Pirotte |
| Abstract: | This paper focuses on the estimation and predictive performance of several estimators for the dynamic and autoregressive spatial lag panel data model with spatially correlated disturbances. In the spirit of Arellano and Bond (1991) and Mutl (2006), a dynamic spatial GMM estimator is proposed based on Kapoor, Kelejian and Prucha (2007) for the Spatial AutoRegressive (SAR) error model. The main idea is to mix non-spatial and spatial instruments to obtain consistent estimates of the parameters. Then, a linear predictor of this spatial dynamic model is derived. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we compare the performance of the GMM spatial estimator to that of spatial and non-spatial estimators and illustrate our approach with an application to new economic geography. |
| Keywords: | Panel data, spatial lag, error components, linear predictor, GMM, spatialautocorrelation |
| JEL: | C33 |
| Date: | 2011–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cep:sercdp:0095&r=ure |
| By: | Yuri Yegorov |
| Abstract: | The goal of this paper is to link models of urban formations (urban studies) with models of housing rent. While housing market models are essentially static, model of urban formation is presented in dynamic set up. The driving force for dynamics comes from migration theory and includes chain migration model. In economics and social studies, we often observe collective phenomena that produce externality effects and that cannot be described by classical market theory. On one hand, we observe mass migration to urban agglomerations despite congestion effect. On the other hand, we observe such phenomena as housing bubbles that can lead to huge macroeconomic consequences (like financial crisis of 2008 driven by explosion of the US bubble, or contemporary recession of Spain also driven by housing bubble). Migration has rational and chain components. Due to chain effect, migration inflow will be positive and high when city passes its optimal level. Housing price and construction sector will both grow at this stage although utility of citizens already decline. Thus, chain migration is de-stabilizer of the economy and one of sources for bubble emergence. Combination of city dynamics with the static theory of urban and housing economics makes it necessary to understand the issue of ownership in land rent. This is a complex collective phenomenon with externalities. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p49&r=ure |
| By: | Rubén Hernández-Murillo; Rajdeep Sengupta |
| Abstract: | In this paper we conduct an empirical investigation of how neighborhood mortgage adoption contagion affects mortgage product choice, with an emphasis on Hispanic borrowers. We use loan-level mortgage data for metropolitan areas in California and Florida during 2004 and 2005, the peak years of the subprime mortgage boom. We identify an important and statistically significant effect of contagion on consumer choice of hybrid mortgage products that were popular during this period, especially for Hispanic borrowers. |
| Keywords: | Subprime mortgage ; Home Mortgage Disclosure Act ; Hispanic Americans |
| Date: | 2011 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fip:fedlwp:2011-036&r=ure |
| By: | Ruben Hernandez; Michael Owyang; Andra Ghent |
| Abstract: | In this paper we investigate whether race and ethnicity influenced subprime loan pricing during 2005, the peak of the subprime mortgage expansion. We combine loan-level data on the performance of non-prime securitized mortgages with individual- and neighborhood-level data on racial and ethnic characteristics for metropolitan areas in California and Florida. Using a model of rate determination that accounts for predicted loan performance, we evaluate the presence of disparate impact and disparate treatment from race and ethnicity on rate-setting behavior across the most popular subprime mortgage products. In contrast with previous studies of the subprime market, we find evidence of adverse pricing effects for black and Hispanic borrowers. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p923&r=ure |
| By: | Blanca Arellano; Montserrat Moix; Josep Roca |
| Abstract: | The specialized researches have proposed various approaches to the delimitation of urban and metropolitan systems. Administrative aspects (administrative units historically inherited), morphological (urban continuum), some linked to the economies of agglomeration (population and employment density, urban economic activities, …) or functional interaction (home-work commuting) have been used for the definition of a metropolitan area. At the same time it has developed in recent years, an extensive research that has come to reveal the progressive trend of the metropolitan areas to the polycentrism. There is no doubt that the monocentric city paradigm, structured around a single CBD, is broken. The contemporary metropolises have seen the emergence of the phenomenon of the sub centers. This changes in the internal structure of many cities has extended the hypothesis that the polycentric city is more efficient than traditional monocentric city, from an environmental perspective (ETE, 1999), representing usually shorter home-work trips, thus contributing to more sustainable mobility. However, few efforts have been directed to address the three aspects together: a) the metropolitan boundaries, b) analysis of its internal structure, and c) contrasting the hypothesis of the environmental efficiency of polycentric systems. This paper addresses the challenge of defining an integrated way of both metropolitan areas and their internal composition, structured or not around different sub centers. The methodology developed of the Interaction Value simultaneously allows delimiting these two levels of urban structure: the metropolitan system as a whole and the subsystems articulated around the emerging sub centers, by measuring the functional relationships between housing and workplaces. At the same time, the Interaction Value assesses the degree of polycentrism beyond the simple identification of sub centers developed in the literature. And, so, support the hypothesis that the polycentric city structure is more efficient, from an environmental perspective, than the monocentric. In this way, and taking the cases of Chicago and Barcelona metropolitan areas as examples of these types of organizations, the efficiency of metropolitan structures is evaluated from the dual perspective of land consumption and sustainable mobility. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1779&r=ure |
| By: | Handan Turkoglu; Seda Kundak |
| Abstract: | Urban transformation projects are prepared with the purpose to sanitize decayed areas, to make cities beautiful and to create economic vitality. Since natural hazards threaten large metropolitan areas, urban transformation is pronounced together to mitigate disasters. This approach of urban transformation includes land use decisions related to hazard, risk and vulnerability analysis and to enhance the implementation of building codes respecting the current standards with application of urban transformation methodologies. Ideally urban transformation methodologies include not only physical and economic improvement but also provide social improvement concerning people who live in the area. Urban transformation seems to be the government’s primary tool for disaster mitigation by guiding urban development and improving the quality of housing stock in Turkey. Several attempts since 2005 to pass a bill to institutionalize this controversial strategy finally succeeded in 2010. In June, Law No. 5998, an amendment to Municipal Law No5393 of 2005, expanded item 73 on urban transformation projects to give municipalities the power to initiate Urban Transformation projects to rehabilitate urban areas or to mitigate disaster risk. According to this item in metropolitan areas, district municipalities can implement such projects within their jurisdictions with the approval of the metropolitan municipal council. Therefore Istanbul (Turkey) which is the biggest metropolitan area and waiting a big earthquake in next 30 years will be subjected to several urban transformation projects in the near future. In the paper, the urban transformation related to disaster mitigation approach will be discussed in the case of Istanbul in terms of descriptive analysis and proposals for future development. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p390&r=ure |
| By: | Katharina Pijnenburg; Konstantin A. Kholodilin |
| Abstract: | We use a neoclassical production function to analyze the effects of knowledge spillovers via entrepreneurship on economic performance of 337 German districts. To take the spatial dependence structure of the data into account, we estimate a spatial Durbin model. We highlight the importance of the choice of the appropriate weight matrix. We find positive knowledge spillover effects via entrepreneurship within a certain region. Between regions, entrepreneurship as a vehicle by which knowledge spills over and contributes to economic performance depends largely on the choice of the weight matrix. We see this as evidence for regionally bounded knowledge spillover effects via entrepreneurship. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p58&r=ure |
| By: | António Rodrigues |
| Abstract: | Natural advantages determine where agglomerations emerge. Also, efficiency and economies of scale determine how many agglomerations subsist and how they interact, forming complex urban hierarquies. Moreover, physical characteristics influence the way humans divide land into irregular parcels we call administrative regions. If, on one hand, initial location advantages are responsible for defining where the main urban nodes will grow and subsist because of lock-in effects, central-peripheral relations play a decisive role in defining the distribution of activity in space. This paper explores the importance of location in relation to the main centripetal nodes. A central-peripheral model, taking into account spatial heterogeneity patterns, explains how activity is organized in Continental Portugal. A bayesian framework will allow the comparison of posterior densities for distinct parts of the country. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1586&r=ure |
| By: | Christian Sommeregger; Christoph Hammer; Daniel Bekesi; Matthias Koch |
| Abstract: | This paper attempts to analyze the impact of knowledge and knowledge spillovers on regional total factor productivity (TFP) in Europe. Regional patent stocks are used as a proxy for knowledge, and TFP is measured in terms of a superlative index. We follow Fischer et. al (2008) by using a spatial-spillover model and a data set covering 203 regions for six time periods. In order to estimate the impact of knowledge stocks we use a spatial autoregressive model with random effects, which allows for three kinds of spatial dependence: Spatial correlation in the innovations, the exogenous and the endogenous variables. The results suggest that there is a significant positive impact of knowledge on regional TFP levels, and that knowledge spills over to neighboring regions. These spillovers decay exponentially with distance at a rate of 8%. Using Monte Carlo simulations we calculate the distribution of direct and indirect effects. The average elasticity of a region's TFP with respect to its own knowledge stock is 0.2 and highly significant. The average effect of all other regions' TFP is about 50% higher, which confirms that the cross-country externalities are important in the measuring of the impact. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p727&r=ure |
| By: | Senay Oguztimur; Metin Canci |
| Abstract: | Urban logistics might be called as city logistics, urban freight transportation is a specific subsection of logistics concept. Urban logistics is generally based on logistics and freight activities in urban areas and focus on these activities’ linkage with urban areas. Urban logistics issues might be evaluated under seven subtitles: These are respectively: logistics activities regarding with citizen subsistence, energy supply, industrial manufacturing, construction-maintenance activities, parcel service, waste cycle and emergency cases activities in urban areas. Urban logistics is a concept that has to deal with social, cultural and environmental issues besides economic subjects. All these subjects have to base on sustainability. Urban logistics covers such a wide range that consist logistics service providers and their consumers, public sector, various sector institutions and chambers. While realizing this role, citizens as participants give a direction to planning process regarding with logistics issues. In order to ensure sustainable urban logistics, urban master plans approach matters. The location of urban logistics functions need to be approached with multidisciplinary viewpoint such as spatial accession, transport networks, interaction with the urban. This study consists of urban logistics issues by the overview of Istanbul Master Plan. Istanbul has great economic capacities that achieve more than half of the whole Turkey. Istanbul is known for its vast contributions to the Turkish economy. Istanbul is the most populated and most industrialized city of Turkey which achieves more than half of whole country’s economic production. Due to this specific case, Istanbul has a vast number of logistics problems. In this planning experience, as a growing sector, logistics had been considered for the first time. Key words: City logistics, Master Plan, Sustainable Urban Plan |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p830&r=ure |
| By: | Maik Hoemke |
| Abstract: | Keywords: - Social-spatial changes - New transport infrastructure - Urban transformation - Center – periphery - Methodology Abstract: A unique process is currently evident in Switzerland that is accelerating and magnifying urban development and expansion at an extreme and unprecedented pace. The building of new railway tunnels is providing the capital of Berne with vastly enlarged commuter belts – representing an extreme convergence between previously peripheral, quite unspoilt regions and the centres. One of these developments involves the opening of the Lötschberg base tunnel in 2007 – a railway tunnel that closely connects the area known as Oberwallis with the Berne metropolitan area. This has reduced the journey time by rail from two hours to less than one hour. In this case, the natural obstacles formed by the mountains are being appropriated using tunnel. Questionnaire surveys conducted during the present study have shown that there is already a tremendous increase in the demand for accommodation in the peripheral regions concerned. Figures for numbers of inhabitants, which have been stagnating for years in the areas affected, have recently increased tremendously. The peripheral areas behind the Swiss mountains are becoming continuous with the urban regions in front of the mountains. At the same time, it can already be expected that the periphery, untouched nature, will lose its status. The pressure on the local authorities to build new residential accommodation and business premises is too great. More land is being made available and more natural areas are being spoilt. The peripheral regions are becoming urban, but still remain merely satellites of the metropolis, so that they are losing all of their special qualities and representation factors. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p50&r=ure |
| By: | Nicola Colaninno; Jorge Cerda; Josep Roca |
| Abstract: | Far from a typical Mediterranean model, today is practically impossible not to discuss European cities without taking into account phenomena of urban sprawl, which bring at dynamics of dispersion of artificial soil in rural areas, discontinuously but plentiful. Excessive alternating between urban and non-urban, more and more difficult to identify, currently configured natural space around cities such as residual areas between built structures. New 'urban forms' are drawing new Mediterranean cities, which were dominated by the compactness of the urban fabric, while now are result of the sum of peri-urban areas, dispersed and with low density. The spatial relationships between full and empty spaces, in terms of distances between urbanized polygons, and physical and functional hierarchies, make part of a semantic code which is often used to define conceptually the contemporary urban environment. Based on theoretical concepts about urban sprawl, land consumption and population density, this study aims to provide a methodology for automatic classification of urban development models and, through a temporary cut, dynamically analyze the changes that have occurred in the patterns of urban growth in the last two decades and along the Spanish Mediterranean coastline. The paper examines the regions of Catalonia, Valencia, Murcia, Andalusia and the Balearic Islands and takes into account three temporal stages of urban development, 1990, 2000, 2006, by using database of CORINE Land Cover and INE data. We apply quantitative indices of urban morphology and density on these database, and through statistical analysis and GIS technologies, automatically we classify types of spatial and temporal behaviours of urban models by using correlation index. The examination of growth models finally gives us useful information concerning the assessment of sustainability characteristics and future development prospects in an area heavily pressured by human intervention. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p776&r=ure |
| By: | Yuzuru Miyata |
| Abstract: | Among others Beckmann (1952) firstly introduced the concept of a two dimensional continuous space into economics. This great step had unfortunately not shown further expansion in economics. Through several papers related to Beckmann's initiation, Beckmann and Puu (1985) at last reached a systematic treatment of the continuous spatial economics. Although their achievement is fascinated by employing a partial differential equations approach, Beckmann's original philosophy, that is, the gradient law has still been inherited. Following their achievement, Puu (2003) alone developed their theory by using many computer simulations to visually show the significance of their theory. Beckmann and Puu's book (1985) aims to study formation of urban configuration in a two dimensional continuous space, focusing on flows of commodities. However, consideration of households and firms location is not necessarily sufficient, resulting in reconsideration from a new urban economics point of view. As another exceptional urban economic study of a plane city, Lucus and Rossi-Hansberg (2002) is pointed out. They were inspired by Fujita and Ogawa (1982), and indicate endogenous land use pattern over a plane city. However they neglect commodity market to simplify the analysis. Well discussion about formation of urban configuration is summarized in Anas, Arnott, and Small (1998). Differing from Beckmann and Puu's studies, Miyata (2010) introduces bid rent functions (Fujita (1989)), which are familiar in the new urban economics, for land of households and firms, and then it studies how the results of Beckmann and Puu are rigorously modified by using the theory of partial differential equations (Courant and Hilbert (1953, 1962). However Miyata (2010) deals with a symmetric equilibrium which seems to be a little unrealistic. This article extends the author's previous study introducing spatial characteristic vector field in the model which stands for heterogeneity in geographical conditions in a city, and try to show asymmetry in land use pattern and endogenous formation of transport networks in a two dimensional continuous space. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1891&r=ure |
| By: | Yoshitsugu Kanemoto |
| Abstract: | Modeling a micro-structure of agglomeration economies, this article derives a second-best benefit evaluation formula for urban transportation improvements. Without explicitly modeling the sources of agglomeration economies, Venables (JTEP 2007) investigated the same problem. This article examines how his cost-benefit measure should be modified when monopolistic competition with differentiated products provides a micro-foundation of agglomeration economies. Introducing the rural sector and multiple cities explicitly, we show that the result hinges on where the new workers come from. An improvement in urban transportation in one city increases its population but reduces those in other cities. If the population of the rural area (or, equivalently, the total population of the urban areas) is fixed, then the changes in the excess burden cancel out each other and only the direct benefit remains. If migration between the rural area and a city is possible, then a transportation improvement increases the total urban population and there will be positive additional benefits. If the number of cities changes, we have an additional change in the excess burden but the result depends on whether the city size is too large or not. In the former case, the induced effect on the number of cities has a tendency to reduce the social surplus. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p439&r=ure |
| By: | Andrés Artal Tur; José Miguel Navarro AzorÃn; MarÃa Luisa Alamá Sabater; Antonio GarcÃa Sánchez |
| Abstract: | Focusing on the characteristics of destinations, this paper pursues to identify the role of spatial spillovers in driving location choices of manufacturing and services´ firms. With this objective a spatial conditional logit framework is defined, allowing for neighbourhood-related spatial effects. Additionally, a broad indicator of spatial spillovers generated by a given destination is proposed. The model is then applied to empirically capture the behaviour of 1.092.864 new firms established in 316 municipalities of the Spanish Mediterranean Arc (SMA) between 1998 and 2008. Estimation results show that such spatial effects have a remarkable impact on the location decisions of industrial companies relative to those of services. When the sample is splitted out by technological intensity of activities, it can be observed that spatial spillovers are more willing to affect decisions of high-tech companies relative to those of low-tech ones, particularly for industrial activities. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p777&r=ure |
| By: | Christina Vlachopoulou; Alex Deffner |
| Abstract: | ‘Sustainable’ city, ‘entrepreneurial’ city, ‘smart’ city, ‘normal’ city are some of the most popular characterisations given to cities by urban planners in their attempt to configure the necessary development features of contemporary urban space. The aim of these characteristics is the combination of the factors that a ‘successful’ city should have: good conditions for residents providing them with job opportunities and leisure activities, promotion of culture, and response to current challenges of the global competitive market in the context of sustainability and environmental protection. Creative city seems to accomplish these prerequisites. Creative city refers to a new theory (method?) of strategic planning for urban space and examines the way people act, plan and think creatively. It also highlights the importance of human potential, since at the heart of the creative city are ‘creative people’ encouraged to connect their vision with local urban policies. The aim of the paper is to investigate the way and the extent that the creative city could be considered as a contemporary instrument of strategic urban planning. The analysis will include the examination of the criteria that determine creativity, as well as the way that these criteria are engaged in the development process. Key-words: creative city, creativity, strategic urban planning, leisure |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1584&r=ure |
| By: | Costas Portokalidis; Foteini Zygouri |
| Abstract: | It is generally accepted that the lack of free public spaces in Greek cities, is one of the most severe urban planning problems, not only in the central urban areas but also in the peripheral neighbourhoods. Furthermore, it is a fact that through the land use legal framework there have been efforts towards the implementation of a number of planning tools, regulations, thresholds, methods etc in order to obtain and secure an appropriate level of acceptable urban public space mainly for parks, playgrounds and squares, which would ensure at least a minimal level of essential (sustainable) free urban public space. The reality has shown that this effort has not been successful until today. The provision, the quality and the spatial distribution of public space in Greek cities, cannot correspond to the continuously increasing needs and wishes of citizens. This is probably the most serious weakness of the Greek urban planning system, because it cannot achieve the objectives of urban sustainability. In this manner and specifically for some cities, military camps that exist and occupy vital space in the urban tissue, present a new challenge for “liberating†this space and providing new quality to the urban environment. The present paper presents a case study in which, proposals are formulated for the transformation of “brown†space occupied by military camps, to urban free space, useful for the adjacent neighbourhoods, as well as for the city of Alexandroupolis in general. The importance of the proposal also lies in the fact that this transformation will take in account the present rigid and complex legal and institutional framework, having, thus, the elements of a pilot intervention. The basic approach is based on the principle that military camps are public land, and can be used in the formulation of a regeneration policy. Critical elements of the approach are the assessment of benefit that the transformation of this space will bring to the city, the allocation of the benefits to the neighbourhoods, the effectiveness of spatial integration of the new space in the existing urban structure, and the absolute protection of public space in the whole city. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1492&r=ure |
| By: | Nicola Colaninno; Josep Roca; Karin Pfeffer |
| Abstract: | Cities can be classified according to morphology of their urban structures. Depending on the spatial relations between built-up and empty spaces, blocks and streets (or squares) we can distinguish compact or fragmented cities as well as continuous or discontinuous. The configuration of the physical elements, with their own functional dynamics, produces different “drawings†in the cities. By disaggregating the urban fabric into different components, it is possible to study the topological, geometrical and dimensional relationships between the elements. This paper investigates the morphology of the city of Barcelona; the main objective is to identify and automatically classify morphological homogeneous categories and determine the level of compactness of urban textures. The classification consists of several steps. A first analysis was performed to identify different typologies in the built-up area and typify urban patterns by using geometrical and relational characteristics, such as shape of buildings and spatial interaction between them in terms of distance. This was followed by an automatic classification of urban fabrics with a homogeneous character. Finally, the morphological compactness was determined, calculated as “equilibrium†between size and distances of buildings. In order to make automatic classification of urban textures, we calibrated a set of indicators, capable to describe specific formal and functional characters and, by using GIS and statistical analysis such as factor and cluster analysis, we categorized several homogeneous “morphological neighbourhoodsâ€. This classification process is based on geometric characteristics, assuming that, in general, different functions require different forms. By aggregating subjects of similar behaviour we could identify to which kind of urban configuration a neighbourhood possibly belongs. The outcome of this study can support urban planning and management in identifying target areas concerning socio-economic interventions within urbanized territories. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p769&r=ure |
| By: | Raffaele Paci; Emanuela Marrocu; Stefano Usai |
| Abstract: | The recent history of Europe is characterized by a dual picture showing the Old and New countries in sharp contrast with respect to their industrial specialisation and economic performance. We aim at analyzing the intertwined performance of regions and industries in New and Old European economies by investigating the effects of local agglomeration externalities (mainly specialisation and diversity externalities) on total factor productivity dynamics. We also analyse the potential influence of regional intangible assets such as human and technological capital. The econometric analysis makes use of spatial econometric techniques to take into account the possibility of cross-border externalities. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p200&r=ure |
| By: | Simonetta Armondi |
| Abstract: | This paper is concerned with developing a better understanding of the dynamics that affect the relationship between industries and their geographical and spatial context at different scale in the XXI century. It shows the peculiar point of view of a planner with a focus on space and place in building the new post-crisis economic landscape.The paper states that the changing patterns of places and space of industries are a good perspective to observe – and also to criticize – the dominant narratives “at workâ€: global city-regions (Sassen 1991), space of flows (Castells 1996), creative cities (Florida 2002; Landry 2000, Evans 2009, Scott 2010), and creative industries and clusters (Comunian et al., 2010).Starting from etherogeneous italian case studies – a post industrial district, a creative cluster, an urban fashion district, etc. – it seeks to understand also and the ways in which the territories of industries and economic production are studied and represented in urban research, and to some extent in popular discourse. Castells M. (1996), The information Age: Economy, Society and Culture, Blackwell, Oxford. Comunian R., Chapain C., Clifton N. (2010), “Location, location, location: exploring the complex relationship between creative industries and placeâ€, Creative Industries Journal, 1. Evans G. (2009), “Creative Cities, Creative Spaces and Urban Policyâ€, Urban Studies, May. Florida R. (2002), The Rise of Creative Class, New York, Basic Books. Landry C. (2000), The Creative City, Earthscan. Roy A. (2009) “The 21st-Century Metropolis: New Geographies of Theoryâ€, Regional Studies 43.9. Sassen S. (1991), The Global City: New York, London, Tokyo, Princeton U. P. Scott A. J. (2010), “Cultural economy and the creative field of the cityâ€, Geografiska Annaler 2, Series B. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p610&r=ure |
| By: | Ulrich Zierahn |
| Abstract: | Regional labor markets are characterized by huge disparities of unemployment rates. Models of the New Economic Geography explain how disparities of regional goods markets endogenously arise but usually assume full employment. This paper discusses regional unemployment disparities by introducing a wage curve based on efficiency wages into the New Economic Geography. The model shows how disparities of regional goods and labor markets endogenously arise through the interplay of increasing returns to scale, transport costs, congestion costs, and migration. In result, the agglomeration pattern might be catastrophic or smooth depending on congestion costs. The transition between both patterns is smooth. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p303&r=ure |
| By: | Ricardo Biscaia; Isabel Mota |
| Abstract: | According to Duranton (2008), the main focus of spatial economics is the location choice of the economic agents. In order to explain the location and the agglomeration of agents in certain locations, one must relax the core assumptions of the neoclassic competitive framework. According to Fujita and Thisse (2002), three alternatives emerged and had huge attention in the literature: the assumption of heterogeneity of locations, as in comparative advantage models or in pioneering static location models; the externality models, in which economic activity endogenously generates spillovers that motivates the agglomeration of the agents; the assumption of imperfect markets, implying that the agents have to interact with each other, as in spatial competition models or in the monopolistic competition approach. This review will focus on the development of spatial competition models. Specifically, the main purpose is to study models in which the location choice by firms plays a major role. Therefore, after a brief review of the roots of spatial competition models, this paper intends to offer a critical analysis over the recent developments in spatial competition modeling. The starting point is the recognition of the increased importance of this topic through the quantification of the research in this field by using bibliometric tools. After that, this study proceeds by identifying the main research paths within spatial competition modeling. Specifically, the type of strategie (Bertrand vs. Cournot competition) and its implications over location equilibria are discussed. Additionally, it is presented a comparison of the impact of the most studied assumptions in literature, that respect to the market (linear vs. circular), production costs, transportation costs, as well as the number of firms. Finally, the type of information (complete vs. incomplete) and its effects over the equilibria are also discussed. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1518&r=ure |
| By: | Rafa Madariaga; Joan Carles Martori; Ramon Oller |
| Abstract: | This paper focuses on the income distribution of households in Barcelona Metropolitan Area. For this purpose we use the Monocentric model. As the basic model does not have direct implications for this distribution, we survey the extensions of the model that have been used in empirical literature. One of the most promising ways is to introduce externalities in the decision process; they can result directly from exogenous amenities (natural traits of urban area) or be created directly by other agents’ decisions. In this case, a spatial lag model and spatial error model are suited for the empirical purposes. We present evidence that any model with spatial effects improves significantly the econometric results. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p511&r=ure |
| By: | Seiichi Kagaya; Masaru Uraoka; Ami Kato |
| Abstract: | In these years, the urban planning system has been reconsidered in terms of sustainable policies. The sustainability in urban areas involves attempts of urban development including environmental, social and economic improvements, policies and practices in the next generation stage. In most of Japanese cities and towns, transport planning was based on the efficiency of car vehicles use until now. As a result, traffic congestion occurred and caused slower speeds, longer times of car vehicles in a downtown area, while car drivers used the car vehicles even for walking distance. Therefore, it is necessary for the cities to improve the transport service in their areas including walking, cycling, and public transit oriented system and so on. These modes contribute to the urban sustainability positively and correspond to the appropriate mobility of the people. In this study, first of all, the effect on the introduction of a new public transport system, namely, an extension of tram car system was examined. Here, the impacts on surrounding areas due to tram line extension are assessed in view of the sustainable urban planning. In the next objective, the effects on the improvement of an underground passage, which is more convenient for pedestrian to go around the downtown area, were evaluated. The practical research and study was examined in Sapporo City, Japan. The results of analysis show in the following aspects: 1) the inhabitants expects the extension of tramcar in the supposed area, 2) people also expect activeness and attractiveness resulted from the extension of tram car line, 3) the pedestrians expect to be capable more choice of shop facilities, particularly, in rainy or snowy weather due to the use of underground passage, 4) the underground passage stimulates the behaviors of visitors between two commercial areas which exist separately to stay and enjoy for longer time. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p450&r=ure |
| By: | Hector Martinez Sanchez-Mateos; Felix Pillet Capdepon; Maria del Carmen Cañizares Ruiz; Angel Raul Ruiz Pulpon; Julio Plaza Tabasco; Jesus Francisco Santos Santos |
| Abstract: | Previous research carried out by this same authors went through the analysis of data sources and their potential to apply the polycentrism approach to territories where the urban features is weak (specifically in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain). Lately, several hubs were identified as potential centres and sub-centres in a regional articulation, helping out to delimitate accurately the map of polycentrism and Functional Urban Areas (FUAs) for each of them. Currently, we hope to depict those FUAs, highlighting the spatial cohesion, and looking for a better geographical knowledge, in accordance with current European standards. The most common methods to characterize functional areas used to be linked with numerous variables, demographic and economic, usually available and updated. Nevertheless, to go deepen is a difficult task because the broad range of indicators involved and the outcomes of recent dynamics. The specific aim of this paper is reviewing methodologies and datasets sources frequently used in the spatial evaluation, stressing those which focus less populated or dispersed areas. The analysis is driven by the difficulty to effectively assess what spatial cohesion is and how can it be measured, especially in these zones where this concept is crucial to understand the regional development. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1517&r=ure |
| By: | Edward Bendit; Amnon Frenkel; Sigal Kaplan |
| Abstract: | Attracting firms in knowledge and technology intensive (KTI) sectors is highly desired at both the national and the regional level as a powerful engine of economic growth. Due to fierce competition in KTI sectors and national taxation policies, KTI firms often attract high-quality employees by offering car-related job perks as additional incentives to wage. In Canada, car allowance is offered by 46% of the employers to attract highly-skilled workers. In Israel, 61% of knowledge-workers in the KTI sectors receive a company-car with respect to 16% of workers in other sectors. In the U.K., car-related job perks are offered by 18% of the employers. This study focuses on the impact of car-related job-perks on the travel behavior of knowledge-workers. The importance of this issue derives from the impact of the travel behavior of knowledge-workers on congested transportation networks in metropolitan areas, as knowledge-based economy tends to concentrate mainly in metropolitan regions. This study applies discrete choice models in order to analyze the impact of company-cars and car allowances (reimbursement of fuel and parking expenses) on commute and leisure travel of knowledge-workers. The analyzed data consist of 750 observations, retrieved from a revealed-preferences survey among KTI workers who work and reside in the Tel-Aviv metropolitan area in Israel. Results show that car-related job perks are associated with (i) high annual mileage, (ii) high propensity of using the car as main commute mode, (ii) long commute distances and travel times, (iii) high trip chaining frequency in commuting trips, and (iii) high frequency of long-distance weekend leisure trips. Result also show that KTI workers generally prefer the car or non-motorized transport modes over the bus system. These results suggest that the development of sustainable knowledge-based cities should consider (i) the replacement of car-related job perks by other incentives, (ii) the provision of pedestrian and cyclist friendly infrastructures, and (iii) public transport improvements. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p389&r=ure |
| By: | Ertan Mert; Zeynep Gamze Mert |
| Abstract: | The requirement of construction materials increases along with the developing urbanization. Despite the most of quarries are established in rural or semi rural areas, their locations remain in or close to the urban areas in parallel with the expansion of residential areas in proportion to the rate of urbanization. Continuing population growth, social, industrial and economic developments require more construction materials. Gebze region uses approximately 8,000,000 tons of aggregate per year for construction sector. The present quarries are planned to be abandoned in the following years. Regardless of potential problems, it is important for planning to estimate future recources. Nowadays there are public housing, organized industrial zones and highway projects at planning and construction stages. Nevertheless, Ballıkayalar National Park is close to likely potential material quarries. By avoiding the national park area, the availability and the quality of materials should be established at an early stage, as material production and transportation costs can be an important consideration when selecting a design solution. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p179&r=ure |
| By: | Eero Lehto |
| Abstract: | Industries have varying abilities to benefit from externalities associated with geographical concentration, and are also likely to suffer in different degrees from crowding costs. This makes industries differ in their concentration process. We hypothesize that firms with low education levels (low tech) tend to be concentrated in areas with low urban costs and small populations, and firms with high education levels (high tech) to be concentrated in areas with high urban costs and large populations. This is shown to be true with Finnish regional-industry data. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p832&r=ure |
| By: | Andrew Ross |
| Abstract: | This paper analyses the spatial variation of new entrepreneurial activity across 32 Scottish regions for the period 1998-2007. Entrepreneurship is widely recognised as a key determinant of economic growth, regional prosperity and sustainable development. Using data from the Value Added Tax (VAT) register, this paper estimates spatial variation in new entrepreneurial activity using a panel data model. Results show that there is considerable variation in entrepreneurship across Scottish regions and that this variation may be explained by demand and supply factors, policy and cultural factors and agglomeration benefits. Given that Scotland has recently suffered from low levels of entrepreneurship compared with other parts of the UK and similar sized smaller countries, this paper provides relevant and timely findings, as Scotland attempts to recover from the recent recession. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p848&r=ure |
| By: | Christophe Heyndrickx; Olaf Koops; Olga Ivanova |
| Abstract: | The present paper describes the construction and first empirical application of the TIGER model (TIGER is an abbreviation of “Transport and Infrastructure General Equilibrium model for Regionsâ€). The TIGER model belongs to the group of regional CGE models, applying a mix of conventional modelling techniques used in standard computable general equilibrium models and New Economic Geography elements. The TIGER model can be used to evaluate transport policies on economic and environmental effects. Innovative features of the TIGER model are the detailed modelling of the transport sector and modelling of commuting and migration decisions. The approach of the TIGER model is to model cross-border related transport policies on a disaggregate level, with freight and passenger transport flows, allowing for different transport modes (road, water, rail), distinguishing between public and private transport, and for different transport motives. Commuting trips will be modelled in detail, by a location-attraction function, jointly determining area of residence and place of work. The TIGER model is constructed as a regional model on the NUTS-3 level for Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxemburg and a part of Germany, where regions are linked by interregional trade flows, transport trips and migration. In a similar way the model can be extended to all NUTS-3 regions in Europe. This paper will relate on the construction of the database for the model and the addition of innovative elements in the model, necessary to model transnational passenger and freight flows. The construction of the model is based on the available data in the TRANSTOOLS database. The detail offered by the TIGER model allows for a quantitative evaluation of effects of several transport policies with a transnational dimension in the Benelux and Germany. We will present results of the TIGER model based on a current project in the Benelux. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1571&r=ure |
| By: | Georg Hirte; Stefan Tscharaktschiew |
| Abstract: | Germany like many other European countries subsidize commuting by granting the right to deduct commuting expenses from the income tax base. This regulation has often been changed and has regularly been under debate during the last decades. The pros (e.g. causing efficiency gains with respect to the spatial allocation of labor) and cons (e.g. causing urban sprawl) are well documented. Nonetheless, there is need for further research. For reasons of tractability the few models applied in the tax deduction related literature are based on restrictive assumptions particularly concerning the design of the income taxation scheme and the structure of households (neglecting household heterogeneity) and, most importantly, they do not integrate labor supply and location decision problems simultaneously. Here, for the first time, those and more features are taken into account in a full spatial general equilibrium simulation approach calibrated to an average German city. This model is applied to calculate the impacts of tax deductions on an urban economy thereby considering different funding schemes. Our results suggest that the tax deduction level currently chosen is below the optimal level in the case of income tax funding. If a change in the tax base occurs, e.g. toward consumption tax or energy tax funding, the optimal size of the subsidy should be even higher. Furthermore, the different policy packages cause a very differentiated pattern regarding welfare distribution, environmental (COâ‚‚ emissions) and congestion effects. We also find surprisingly small effects on urban sprawl characterized by suburbanization of residences and jobs and increasing commuting distances. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p274&r=ure |
| By: | Mihaela-Nona Chilian |
| Abstract: | The paper aims to assess the evolution of the development disparities (output, employment, overall and by sectors) in the regions and counties of Romania. Using classic and spatial shift-share analysis tools, we investigate the extent to which the existing interregional and, especially, intra-regional and inter-county inequalities can be attributed to different factors, such as industry mix, regional specific factors, and interregional interactions. The results reveal a diverse milieu and offer useful insights both for general and specifically targeted policies in the area of regional development. Keywords: Romanian regions, regional disparities, shift-share analysis, regional development JEL Classification: O18, R11, R12, R15 |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p827&r=ure |
| By: | Poulicos Prastacos; Nektarios Chrysoulakis |
| Abstract: | Recently, through the GMES program of ESA the Urban Atlas dataset was released. The Urban Atlas is providing pan-European comparable land use and land cover data for Large Urban Zones with more than 100.000 inhabitants as defined by the Urban Audit. The production of the various datasets started in 2009 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2011. At presently datasets for more than 150 urban areas have been released. Most importantly the datasets can be freely downloaded and distributed. The availability of such a huge dataset produced with the same standards will have a major impact on the development of urban transportation models and the comparative analysis of the urban areas across Europe. Combined with the data sets that will be developed from the various Census of population it could become the basis for the application of various models in the next ten years. In this paper two major themes are discussed. First, how the current state of art in urban modeling (behavioral, cellular automata and statistical) can use these models, what type of additional data might be needed and how these datasets can be combined with other data for developing land use transportation models. Second, spatial metric techniques are used to define indicators for the landscape that could be used for comparing the structure and the form of the various cities. In the last ten years there has been an increasing interest in applying spatial metric techniques analysis of urban environments, to examine unique spatial components of intra-and inter-city urban structure, as well as, the dynamics of change. The landscape perspective assumes abrupt transitions between individual patches that result in distinct edges. These measures provide a link between the detailed spatial structures that result from urban change processes. The spatial metric indicators were developed for several cities and are then used for a comparative study of city typologies and urban fabric characteristics. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1406&r=ure |
| By: | Hermanus Geyer Jr |
| Abstract: | The paper critically reviews retail-led regeneration and retail containment polices and their effects on the urban retail in the UK by analysing the effect that retail-led mega-schemes regeneration projects have on the economic growth of inner cities. There is significant controversy whether mega-schemes in retail-led regeneration initiatives contribute to the growth of local economies or whether it leads to the pitch shifting and marginalisation of local retail. The research focuses on two neighbouring strategies in Birmingham and Solihull to determine differences in the application of retail-led regeneration in inner city and peripheral locations. Birmingham’s Bullring centre and Solihull’s Touchstone centre was researched using quantitative data on the growth of the retail sector in Birmingham and supplemented using interviews with key actors. The paper critically analyses whether retail-led mega-schemes have a net positive effect on the economic revitalisation of the deteriorating inner cities. The results of the research indicate that the retail-led regeneration initiative brought about a dual economy with a global inner core of national retail and the outer core of marginalised local retail. The economic motive of implementing retail-led regeneration is doubted, as the research delivers mixed results. However the research indicates that the strategic benefits of restructuring and marketing the city have become equally if of not more important in retail-led regeneration initiatives than the actual economic benefits for the local economic community. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1358&r=ure |
| By: | Senem Kozaman; Betul Sengezer; Emrah Altinok |
| Abstract: | This article aims to follow the application of fuzzy approach in the analysis of urban complex problems; classifying urban problems according to different criteria. It proposes a methodology to combine different dimensions of quality of life, with the economic (income, employment), social (education) physical (health and infrastructure) indicators into Quality of Life Index (QLI) by applying Totally Fuzzy Analysis (TFA). The objective of the present work is to identify, based on survey data of Söke settlement in Turkey, to define the sub zones according to life quality indicators. The sample for the survey is designed to provide representative samples of private households in Söke. A stratified random sample is selected such that every sampling unit in the population has an equal probability of being selected for the sample. From the population of 14582 housing units in Söke, a sample size of 366 was chosen. As a result, 366 households were interviewed without missing. The indicators that have been used for the fuzzy model consist of three main blocks. The first one in the indicators that describe development of socio-economic system is the economic indicators such as urban poverty (income and expenditures), property ownership, employment and attributes of the labor force. The second one is physical indicators that consist of availability of residential services, housing density and the quality of housing units. The third one is the social indicators which can be described as household profile, cultural expenditures and life patterns. The goal is achieved by applying a new and straightforward method of GIS and fuzzy logic. This methodology was applied in the study area and the results presented in the form of tables and maps. The results revealed that there are spatial, social and economic disparities in some parts of the area. The findings indicate that the fuzzy technics are powerful analytic tools for helping planners define urban complex problems and to see relations between social, economic and physical factors. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1734&r=ure |
| By: | Jorge Cerda; Carlos Marmolejo; Josep Roca |
| Abstract: | The main objective of the study is the development of a model for the evaluation of the environmental and energy efficiency of the interaction (mobility) and land use structure (called as 'territorial functionality'), applied to the metropolitan area of Barcelona . In particular there are four points that underpin the model: a) a basic land use-transportation model (LUTM), b) a model for the energy consumption and environmental emissions produced by the territorial functionality, c) a model for the consumption of land produced by the territorial functionality (developed land), and d) assessment of social equity in access to urban activities, and exposure to environmental effects. The goodness of the proposed model is that is composed of empirical models (econometric), robust in their specific topic, but spatially disaggregated (municipality). With this structure is possible to evaluate the effects of functional changes (transport projects or urban planning) in the spatial structure of energy consumption, environmental emissions, and consumption of land, and also identifying the participation (responsibility) of different territories in these effects. It is a systemic and spatial view of the role that each territory plays in the functionality, and their responsibility in the environmental effects. The model is currently under construction, joining the calibrated models of consumption and environmental emissions to an existing transport model in the metropolitan area of Barcelona. This paper presents the mathematical model, and the indicators defined for characterizing the state of the territorial system, and a simple simulation of the possible analysis and results. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p192&r=ure |
| By: | Georgia Lalou |
| Abstract: | The city of Larissa in Greece has an important role in national and regional level. For the past 3 decades, the image of the city has considerably altered. A series of proposals concerning the regulation of urban space and the realisation of their objectives contributed to this. These proposals are made either through studies on urban level or through specialised studies with special arrangements during 1974 – 2002. The Master Plan of Larissa (1972-74), the General Development Plan (1982-86), the Study on the regeneration of the historic centre of the city and the wider region of the river Pinios (1988-91), the Traffic and Transportation Study (1989-91) are considered to be the most significant studies that have taken place. Specifically the study on the reformation of the historic centre has led to the creation of an extensive pedestrian network in the centre of the city and as a result came a particular function of the centre, concerning the mode of transportation and the configuration of land uses in the city centre. The presentation is about the main spots of these studies and their relationship. Through bibliographical research and discussions with leaders of the studies and people who have contributed to or affected by their implementation it is concluded that there were conflicting views but the need for urban planning with a social character and the completion of the objectives through sustainable development seemed urgent. The implementation of the proposals has upgraded the quality of life of residents. Several needs and problems aroused trying to reverse this progress. The road to the future creates different data, which must be addressed with proper planning and proper implementation of the proposals. Larissa is a typical Greek city through which are projected the main stages of urban planning in the Greek state after the dictactorship (1970s), outlining deficiencies and breakthroughs when the need for alteration is urgent. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1661&r=ure |
| By: | Hildegunn Stokke; Jørn Rattsø |
| Abstract: | Accumulation of education and geographic concentration of educated people in cities are expected to generate urban income growth. New economic geography predicts income divergence across regions. We investigate the dynamic process of accumulating tertiary education and regional income growth in Norway during the past four decades. The expansion of smart cities goes along with catching up of education level in the periphery and overall the education levels converge. Income levels also are shown to converge in distribution analysis using Kernel functions and first order Markov chains. However, the movements in the income distribution are unrelated to the accumulation of education. The hypothesis of equal income transition probabilities across subgroups of regions with different increases in education cannot be rejected. We conclude that accumulation of education has not been important for the pattern of income growth. Catching up from low income is not driven by education and income growth has not taken off in cities with increasing education level. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p460&r=ure |
| By: | Marcello Pagnini; Valter Di Giacinto; Giacinto Micucci; Matteo Gomellini |
| Abstract: | In this paper we compare the magnitude of local productivity advantages associated to two different spatial concentration patterns in Italy, i.e. urban areas (UA) and industrial districts (ID). UA typically display a huge concentration of population and host a wide range of economic activities, while ID are located outside UA and exhibit a strong concentration of small firms producing relatively homogenous goods. We use a very large sample of Italian manufacturing firms observed over the 1995-2006 period and resort to a wide set of econometric techniques in order to test the robustness of main empirical findings. We detect local productivity advantages for both UA and ID. However, firms located in UA attain a larger Total Factor Productivity (TFP) premium than those operating within ID. Besides, it turns out that the advantages of ID have declined over time, while those of UA remained stable. Differences in the white-blue collars composition of the local labor force appear to explain only a minor fraction of the estimated spatial TFP differentials. Production workers (blue collars) turn out to be more productive in ID, while non-production workers (white collars) are more efficiently employed in UA. By analyzing the quantiles of the sample TFP distribution, we document how higher average TFP levels within UA do not seem to be mainly driven by a selection effect pushing less efficient firms out of the market. Rather, a firm sorting effect appears to stand out, suggesting that more productive firms gain strong benefits from locating in UA. On the whole, our analysis raises the question whether Italian ID are less fit than UA to prosper in a changing world, characterized by increased globalization and by the growing use of information technologies. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1806&r=ure |
| By: | Ernest Miguelez; Rosina Moreno |
| Abstract: | The aim of the present paper is to shed light on the determinants of geographical mobility and location choices of skilled individuals across the European regions. The most talented workers, e.g. inventors, move for a number of reasons, contributing in this manner to the geographical diffusion of knowledge as well as to reshape the geography of talent. Thus, geographic areas constitute nodes through which talent circulate, bringing knowledge from one place to another. By means of a gravity model, we will test whether social proximity between inventors’ communities and the so-called National System of Innovation drive in- and out-flows of inventors between pairs of regions, above and beyond physical separation, as well as other pulling factors (amenities, economic conditions, and the like). As for the econometrics is concerned, in order to accommodate our estimations to the count nature of our dependent variable and the high number of zeros in it, zero inflated negative binomial models are used. Our first results point out to the importance of, still, geographical proximity in driving this phenomenon. However, social relationships, as well as institutional, or technological and cultural proximities, are also playing a preponderant role in mediating the mobility patterns of inventors across the European geography. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p711&r=ure |
| By: | Alberto Dalmazzo; Antonio Accetturo; Guido de Blasio |
| Abstract: | The paper consider the skill-biased “share-altering†technical change hypothesis in a spatial general equilibrium model where skilled and unskilled individual may exhibit different preferences for local amenities. A main novelty –both for labour and urban economics- is that, under this hypothesis, skill-biased technical change can be readily represented by simple Cobb-Douglas production functions, rather than CES technologies. We then analyse the local labour markets equilibrium, where the adoption of new technologies may require an adequate proportion of skilled workers. Keywords: skill-biased technical change, share-altering technologies, local labour markets. JEL Classification Numbers: O33, R12, R23, J31. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p83&r=ure |
| By: | Cristina Brasili; Francesca Bruno; Annachiara Saguatti |
| Abstract: | The economic convergence among European regions over the period 1980-2006 is analysed in the first place by using a conditional β-convergence model and a distance-based weight matrix and secondarily by a spatially-conditioned stochastic kernel approach. A Spatial Autoregressive model which identifies two spatial regimes and spatial dependence finds that the convergence process is affected by polarization into two clusters defined both on a geographical and economic criterion, which converge at different rates towards different steady states. A similar result is then reached through a non-parametric analysis of the income distribution dynamics. These results confirm the hypothesis that a methodology which uses spatial econometric techniques is needed. They also suggest some implications for EU Regional Policy that should be taken into account. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1271&r=ure |
| By: | Jose-Luis Hervas-Oliver |
| Abstract: | This paper analyzes a fundamental gap research in high-tech clusters surveying literature in a critical perspective: the paper evidenced the taken-for-granted assumption that knowledge spillovers (KS) are unique assets conveying flows of knowledge in clusters, arguing the importance of traded interactions based on market transaction conditions which occur in clusters, even beyond spatial social networks. In the case of high-tech clusters: which is the type of interactions occurring in clusters when there is a manifested lack of local social networks? Results suggest that under analytical (versus synthetic) knowledge base in clusters, the formal and traded commercial partnerships are also interactions (assets) available in clusters, beyond the traditionally claimed un-traded KS and not being restricted to spatial conditions but to global circuits of knowledge which complement the lack of local resources in high-tech clusters. High-tech clusters surveyed do not show the high levels of inter-firm collaboration that cluster theory predicts |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p779&r=ure |
| By: | Colin Wren |
| Abstract: | The paper decomposes a geographical concentration index to examine the temporal scope of a spillover, which is the period of time over which one firm's activity directly affects the location of other firms' activities. Natural advantages are fixed over reasonably long time periods, but if spillovers have a limited temporal scope then this can be used to identify these agglomeration economies. To operationalize the index decomposition the paper proposes an empirical methodology that is based on frequency estimator approach, which is applied across time periods. The approach is tested by numerical simulation and by application to a dataset on the location of new economic activity across British regions in the form of investment by foreign-owned plants. Overall, the results support the approach and indicate that the temporal scope of a spillover is on average about five years. |
| Keywords: | Industrial location, agglomeration forces, geographic concentration index,spillovers, temporal scope |
| JEL: | R12 R30 L10 |
| Date: | 2011–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cep:sercdp:0094&r=ure |
| By: | Chengche Chen; Hsienhsin Cheng |
| Abstract: | The impacts of globalization force Asian countries face the problems of transformation, this paper aim to discuss how to keep the local identification and cultural characteristic under the wave of globalization. Taiwan has established the concept of “regional culture heritage†tries to immerge knowledge of planning and conservation. The Council of Cultural Affaires, as the highest supervised administrative unit in Taiwan, try to improve the historical district by community empowerment. However, the development process face the issues of regional recognition, construction of the relationship between people and environment, and planning strategies. This qualitative research took four years to do textural study. By establishing the basic knowledge from experts, open interviews and study the relationship between human and environment of local residents. Then turn these data into a mental map (Identifying landmarks and anonymous urban fabric). This research tries to compare and review the issue of cultural led regeneration. Our study finds out, first, the concept of regional cultural heritages has more identifications than single historical architecture. Second, local grand old mans, the head of the neighborhood, the priests have different perceptions toward cultural heritage, and these perceptions has influenced planning development. Third, we raise several key issues of regeneration in historical district. Keywords: Regional Cultural Heritage, Environmental Perception, Zong-Ye Historic District, Regional Regeneration |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1260&r=ure |
| By: | Manfred M. Fischer; James P. LeSage |
| Abstract: | We develop an empirical approach to examine static and dynamic knowledge externalities in the context of a regional total factor productivity relationship. Static externalities refer to current period scale or industry-size effects which have been labeled localization externalities or region-size effects known as agglomeration externalities. Dynamic externalities refer to the relationship between accumulated or prior period knowledge and current levels of innovation, where past learning-by-doing makes innovation positively related to cumulative production over time. Our empirical specification allows for the presence of both static and dynamic externalities, and provides a way to assess the relative magnitude of spillovers associated with spillovers from these two types of knowledge externalities. The magnitude of own-region impacts and other-region (spillovers) can be assessed using scalar summary measures of the own- and cross-partial derivatives from the model. We find evidence supporting the presence of dynamic externalities as well as static, and our estimates suggest that dynamic externalities may have a larger magnitude of impact than static externalities. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p31&r=ure |
| By: | Yuheng Li |
| Abstract: | Urban-rural interaction in China has evolved a lot due to the economic growth and policy influences in the post-reform era since 1978. This evolution has exerted influences on the urban and rural areas in various aspects of demography, economy and environment. At present, China is on a track of fast economic growth and urbanization development which will definitely shape urban and rural areas at the same time. How will urban-rural interaction in China develop in the future? What are the implications for regional planning? The paper historically reviews and quantitatively assesses urban-rural interaction in China. It finds that urban-rural interaction has increased continuously in the post-reform era. The assessment of this interaction bears some resemblances to the historical evolution. The findings also reveal that the change of urban-rural interaction at the provincial level presents much regional difference in the period of 1980-2010. Besides, regional agglomeration of provinces of same level of urban-rural interaction has also emerged in China. The paper concludes through emphasizing the increase of urban-rural interaction in inland areas so as to decrease the regional inequality in China. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1346&r=ure |
| By: | Eduardo Chica; Carlos Marmolejo |
| Abstract: | The increase in the last decades of the weight of the creative industries and knowledge-intensive sectors (KIS) in the economies of metropolitan areas is transforming the dynamics of urban development, for access of these sectors to agglomeration economies, such as skilled labor and good communication infrastructures. Polycentrism is helping in such a process. In this paper the interactions of the KIS with other economic sectors are analyzed in order to know the relationship between levels of economic dependence of economic sectors and their spatial patterns. In doing so, the input-output matrix of Catalonia, where is located the MRB, is analysed by means of multidimensional scaling techniques and compared to the geographical distance among sectors. Results suggest a little correlation between economic dependence and geographic distance from the different economic sectors, and a high correlation factor was found when considered in isolation of the KIS. This phenomenon could be the result of great economic dependence of all economic sectors to the KIS, which are located mostly in the center of all relations of the region's economy; consequently, KIS are localized geographically around the whole territory, although, more concentrated than others sectors. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p878&r=ure |
| By: | Silvia Ciccarelli; Roberta Gemmiti; Luca Salvati |
| Abstract: | This paper presents a critical debate about the extreme selectivity through which the existing body of literature identifies the critical factors in urban development and competitiveness. It highlights the need to establish policies aimed at “ordinary cities†(Amine Graham, 1997) and “ordinary geographies†(Jonas e Ward, 2007). By analyzing the case of Rome, Italy, the paper explores the consequences of such literature for planning choices, especially for those cities that are not supported by a mature system of governance. It is well established that cities and urban regions are considered the most significant organizational and social units in the post-industrial era. The academic focus on urban regions was a result of the convergence between studies on competitiveness and disciplines like Regional Economy and Economic Geography, which tended to focus on the relationship between post-industrial capitalism and the process of regionalization. Since the first studies on industrial de-verticalization and on emerging patterns of production localization, the literature has increasingly related the economic success of firms to specific characters of territories, including face-to-face contacts, knowledge spill over and relationships based on trust. All cities, then, are framed to look like the leaders of the global urban hierarchy: Global City Regions and Mega City Regions, large territories combining hard and soft infrastructures, socializing spaces, multi-culturality, talent, tolerance; cities offering a network structure made up of Marshall nodes of production. The rigidity of current conceptions of urban competitiveness, supported also by international organizations (OCDE, 2006; Territorial Agenda, 2007), often leads to negative consequences for urban planning policies in cities that are not yet supported by a developed system of governance. This is the case for Rome, where planning policy has followed guidelines proposed by existing literature. The article argues that the oversimplification of urban development and competitiveness can result in planning policies divorced from the real issues, thus causing a unique set of social and environmental consequences. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p820&r=ure |
| By: | Marloes Hoogerbrugge |
| Abstract: | Metropolitan regions and cities are often coined as the ‘motors of the economy’. The performance of national economies – and even the EU in general – is increasingly dependent on the cumulative performance of metropolitan regions and/or cities. All around the world, cities are increasingly in competition with one another; interconnected in a network of criss-cross relations between firms and institutions. With respect to urban competitiveness, numerous activities of benchmarking and ‘best practises’ between cities exist. Many policies are based upon these evaluations leading to cherry-picking and the hasty copying of experiences from one specific urban context to another. A deeper understanding of the problems and structural mechanisms behind urban competitiveness is often lacking. This paper aims to analyse the competitiveness of European metropolitan regions via a comparative case study research, defining the main threats and challenges concerning the economic vitality of urban areas. It will be driven by the input of regions and cities with the aim to identify ‘best’ and ‘bad’ practices across Europe. In other words, we will set out the contours of a research framework on economic competitiveness that aims to bridge the gap between academic research and urban practices by means of a policy-driven research agenda. The competitiveness of five European regions will be discussed in more detail: Munich, Warsaw, Madrid, Bucharest and Stockholm. Based on roundtable discussions with stakeholders in these cities, the missing blanks in urban research will be defined. This paper will go beyond the ranking lists based solely on economic productivity figures by discussing cities’ competitiveness from an integral perspective. The underlying determinants of competitiveness (e.g. local economic sectoral structure, labour market) will be analysed to create a better understanding of the economic performance of cities. It is the aim of this study to make academic research on urban competitiveness applicable for urban practice by listing knowledge and research questions that are of interest for both researchers as well as urban practitioners. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1222&r=ure |
| By: | Torben Klarl |
| Abstract: | A large and still growing body of literature suggests that entrepreneurship is of exceptional importance in explaining regional specific efficiencies of knowledge spillovers. Although quantifying the impact of entrepreneurial activity for economic growth is an interesting issue -- particularly at the regional level -- a consice formulation within a theoretical growth model is missing. This paper in general tries to uncover the link between own- and neighbour-related regional entrepreneurial activity in innovation and regional growth within a spatial semi-endogenous growth model in the spirit of Jones (1995) reflecting recent empirical findings on entrepreneurial activity for economic growth. The paper makes the following points: firstly, the degree of tacit knowledge spillover within the R\&D-sector is positively related to own and neigbhour-related entrepreneurial activity and secondly, for a given entrepreneur's willingness to invest in R\&D-projects the degree of tacit knowledge spillover is higher with stronger institutions. The paper derives an explicit solution for the transitional as well as for the balanced growth path level of entrepreneurs' innovative activities. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p278&r=ure |
| By: | Giovanni Guastella; Frank van Oort |
| Abstract: | Within the Geography of Innovation literature, the Knowledge Production Function approach has become a reference framework to investigate the presence of localized knowledge spillovers and spatial econometric tools have been applied to study interregional spillovers. A linear specification for the KPF is assumed linking patents to R&D expenditure. This approach however suffers of different drawbacks. First patent applications are count data in nature. Patents per inhabitants may produce an unrealistic picture of the spatial distribution of innovative activities. Secondly, spatial heterogeneity is not usually observed, producing both omitted variables bias and spatial correlation in the error structure. Third, a positive R&D-patents linkage may arise as a spurious correlation if market size is not observed, causing R&D to be endogenous. This paper uses a regional cross section model to study the spatial distribution of high tech patents across 232 European regions in the period 2005/2006 to address these issues. Two main processes drive technological change in the model: research activities and knowledge generated outside firms and in a second moment embedded through either formal or informal acquisition. Among the different knowledge sources we particularly focus on the role of firms working in Knowledge Intensive Business Services and on that of universities. In developing the empirical model we take into account that a) patents are count data; b) the exclusion of market size will cause biased and inconsistent model parameters estimates; c) estimates of interregional spillovers may be biased by the omission of heterogeneity in the model specification. Empirical results indicate that, as expected, a count data distribution best fits the data, producing less spatially autocorrelated residuals. Regional innovative activity is explained by both investments in research and localization of KIBS, but only the first generates positive interregional externalities. Scientific universities do not directly affect the production of new knowledge. However, different knowledge production processes characterize regions with and without scientific universities, with R&D driving innovation in the sooner and KIBS in the latter. Finally, most of what are assumed to be interregional spillovers reveal to be, at a more careful inquiry, effect due to unaccounted spatial heterogeneity in regional innovation. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1114&r=ure |
| By: | Thomas Vanoutrive |
| Abstract: | Competition between ports depends on inland freight distribution and the spatial structure of the hinterland. With this, ports and port regions increasingly compete to serve distant hinterlands. In a European context, many researchers refer to the agglomeration of economic activity in the Rhine-Ruhr area and the ‘blue banana’ to explain the concentration of port activity in the Hamburg-Le Havre port range. Besides this, the incorporation of new member states in the European market has changed the structure of port hinterlands. In this paper we attempt to reveal the spatial structure of the hinterland of the Hamburg-Le Havre ports using automated zoning techniques. These techniques aggregate geographical areas in homogeneous clusters using spatial as well as content-related constraints. We use both economic characteristics of hinterland regions and variables which express the link between these regions and ports to create a new map of the port hinterland. Besides an improved insight in the spatial structure of the hinterland, this analysis delivers a set of areas which can be used in economic models. Indeed, creating an ‘optimal’ zoning is one of the strategies researchers employ to handle observational units with often arbitrary boundaries. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p560&r=ure |
| By: | Tamás Krisztin; Eric de Noronha Vaz; Matthias Koch |
| Abstract: | This paper presents a comparative assessment of two distinct urban growth modeling approaches. The first urban model uses a traditional Cellular Automata methodology, based on Markov transition chains to prospect probabilities of future urban change. Drawing forth from non-linear cell dynamics, a multi-criteria evaluation of known variables prospects the weights of variables related to urban planning (road net- works, slope and proximity to urban areas). The latter model, frames a novel approach to urban growth modeling using a linear Logit model (LLM) which can account for region specific variables and path depen- dency of urban growth. Hence, the drivers and constraints for both models are used similarly and the same study area is assessed. Both models are projected in the segment of Faro-Olh ̃ao for 2006 and a comparative assessment to ground truth is held. The calculation of Cohen’s Kappa for both projections in 2006 allows for an assessmentof both models. This instrumental approach illuminates the differ- ences between the traditional model and the new type of urban growth model which is used. Both models behave quite differently: While the Markov Cellular Automata model brings an over classification of ur- ban growth, the LLM responds in the underestimation of urban sprawl for the same period. Both excelled with a Kappa calculation of over 89%, and showed to have fairly good estimations for the study area. One may conclude that the Markov CA Model permits a riper un- derstanding of urban growth, but fails to analyze urban sprawl. The LLM model shares interesting results within the possibility of identi- fying urban sprawl patterns, and is therefore an interesting solution for some locations. Another advantage of the LLM is directly linked to the possibility of establishing probability for urban growth. Thus, while the traditional methodology shared better results, LLM can be also an interesting estimate for urban patterns from an econometric perspective. Hence further research is needed in exploring the utility of spatial econometric approaches to urban growth. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1683&r=ure |
| By: | Balz R. Bodenmann |
| Abstract: | Over the last decade, low economic growth rates resulted in intensified competition between nations, regions, and towns in trying to attract new firms and inhabitants. In particular, the establishment of new firms has become one of the most vital objectives of governments and public authorities all over Europe. To raise the attractiveness of a region, different instruments have been used: tax reductions, incentives for new establishments, as business destination promotion activities, supply of outstanding infrastructure and public services. On the one hand, this paper investigates effects of different possible options for cantonal and municipal authorities’ intent to attract firms: improvements in transport infrastructure, designation of new building zones, and last but not least tax reductions. These actions have been tested by simulating the decisions of existing firms. The parameters for these simulations have been estimated with a discrete choice model using data of the cantons St.Gallen and both Appenzell as well as Zurich. On the other hand, the paper aims to provide an approach to implement these models in UrbanSim. UrbanSim is a software-based simulation system for supporting planning and analysis of urban development, incorporating the interactions between land use, transportation, the economy, and the environment. At the moment, UrbanSim is adapted to an European context (see the according research project SustainCity, www.sustaincity.eu). |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1091&r=ure |
| By: | Hans Lööf |
| Abstract: | Firms display persistent differences as regards both internal and external characteristics, and these differences correspond to asymmetries in the performance of firms with regard to productivity level and growth as well as innovativeness. This paper focuses on one internal characteristic and one external factor by distinguishing between firms with persistent R&D efforts and other firms and firms located in a metropolitan region versus firms with other locations. Applying Swedish data on individual firms and their location, the paper shows that firms that follow a strategy with persistent R&D efforts have a distinctly higher level of productivity across all types of location. In addition, the productivity level of firms with persistent R&D is augmented in a significant way when such firms have a metropolitan location and, in particular, a location in a metropolitan city |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1396&r=ure |
| By: | Maria Vera-Cabello; Marcos Sanso-Navarro; Fernando Sanz |
| Abstract: | This paper analyzes the persistence of the shock caused by the American Civil War on the relative city size distribution of the United States. Our fi ndings suggest that the effects of this shock were permanent, which sharply contrasts with previous results regarding World War II for Japanese and German cities. It should be taken into account that the conflict considered in this paper took place at an earlier stage of the industrialization and urbanization processes. Moreover, our results are determined by the fact that the battles were fought in the open field, not in urban areas. Some related evidence regarding the presence of a safe harbour effect is reported. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1514&r=ure |
| By: | Michaela Fuchs |
| Abstract: | The question whether agglomeration effects are of importance for regional development has a long tradition in regional science. This paper asks if regional characteristics and specifically ag-glomeration effects influence the performance of plants in Germany and, if so, in which direction. Hence, we aim at contributing to the still sparse empirical studies in this field of research by adding three aspects to the existing evidence. First, we provide the first plant-level evidence on regional agglomeration effects for Germany. Second, while earlier papers looked only at few sectors of the economy or only at manufacturing, we extend our analysis to the services sector. Finally, we are among the first who identify agglomeration effects while controlling for the internal structure of the establishments using a rich set of plant characteristics that are likely to influence productivity. To this end we estimate plant-level production functions augmented by regional characteristics and controlling in detail for plant-specific features. The analysis is conducted both within a static and a dynamic panel framework. We use the IAB Establishment Panel, a large-scale German establishment survey covering around 16,000 estab-lishments each year. In the static framework we find support for the positive impact of localization economies and market size, while urbanization seems to have a negative influence. Results for the dynamic models are rather inconclusive. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p912&r=ure |
| By: | Funda Yirmibesoglu; Nilgun Ergun |
| Abstract: | The mapping of crime and delinquency has been around for many years and the idea that delinquency is caused by environmental factors has long been debated. A significant characteristic of research on criminality is the use of charts and maps to show spatial distributions of delinquency and crime. Istanbul has been a strategically important location, physically and regionally, in every period. Istanbul’s most prominent characteristics are its geographical location, unique natural beauties, and wealth of cultural heritage. Istanbul has experienced increasingly high crime rates. This study demonstrates major differences between the characteristics of high and lower-crime neighbor-hoods in Istanbul. The distribution of crime in Istanbul shows that between 2000-2005, crime is concentrated in the city centre. This research is based on the differences in physical, demographical and economical characteristics of Istanbul’s districts, which show a rise of ratios in crime, especially in the city center like Beyoglu and Eminonu districts. In the Beyoglu central district which is economically better developed and with mixed land usage, differentiation of day-night population will be analyzed in order to determine how they could affect increase in crime. The crime survey is conducted in the Beyoglu district between 2006 and 2008. The questionnaire results provide an insight into the mapping of crime in Beyoglu streets. The purpose of the study with this questionnaire is also to analyse fear of crime in the Beyoglu streets. At the end of the research, crime prevention strategies are going to be improved and new suggestions will be presented for the streets where crime rates are high. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p469&r=ure |
| By: | EBRU KERIMOGLU; CAN KARAHASAN |
| Abstract: | It has been argued that ‘creative class’ as a source of growth has gained increasing attention in recent years. According to Florida, a main factor in explaining creativity driven growth is the locational choice of creative people. This research investigates the spatial distribution of creative capital and its effects on regional disparities by considering geographic differences of human capital and employment. First we analyze the dispersion of creative capital related with the dispersion of employment, human capital and regional inequalities. Second, this dispersion is tried to be used as a possible factor behind the differences in Spain. There are high regional differences in terms of creative employment endowments and this picture is persistent for year 1996 and 2004. Results indicate that for both 1996 and 2004 creative employment is spatially dependent. Since this finding only gives clues at a very general level (global in this sense) its decomposition can increase the information set regarding the dispersion of creative employment at the local level. Findings also indicate that there are hot spots in mostly the north eastern geography of Spain. Creative capital is spatially unequal. In line with central aim of this research, our central concern is to carry out this discussion towards the relationship between this unequal pattern and general regional differences in Spain. There is similarity between the geographical patterns in regional inequalities and creative employment endowments. According to the objectives, models containing valuable information about regional development differences in Spain are constructed for year 2004. Models show that creative employment is influencing the differences in regional per capita income in Spain. Finally, it is interesting that in the final model, once we control for the human capital development level of the population for each provinces, creative capital (as well as sectoral composition) fails to explain the regional income differences. In short results of the final model should not be regarded as the insufficiency of the creative capital to explain regional differences; rather it should be remarked that human capital development is dominating the impact of the creative capital. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p697&r=ure |
| By: | Böckerman, Petri; Haapanen, Mika |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the effect of polytechnic reform on geographical mobility. A polytechnic, higher education reform took place in Finland in the 1990s. It gradually transformed former vocational colleges into polytechnics and also brought higher education to regions that did not have a university before. This expansion of higher education provides exogenous variation in the regional supply of higher education. We find that the reform increased the migration of high school graduates. The migration propensities increased particularly close to graduation from high school, but some results also suggest a smaller positive effect over a longer period. |
| Keywords: | Migration; higher education; school reform; polytechnics; high school graduates |
| JEL: | I20 J10 J61 R23 |
| Date: | 2011–11–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:34619&r=ure |
| By: | Elif Ornek Ozden; Ebru Seckin; Senem Kozaman |
| Abstract: | Especially after 1990’s, important results have emerged with the rapid transformation process in the world by the concept of globalization. It is emphasized that cities are the center of spatial transformation where the globalization mostly effected. The economic and technological developments have caused the fluidity of capital in this manner cities have to bring out their potentials more than ever to attract the capital and disparities reveals in the pattern of urban hierarchy. The presence of cities depends on the renewal of existing potentials according to the changing conditions of today. In this process, many cities around the world, especially with economic, spatial, environmental advantages come forward in the international arena. While the competition between cities significantly increased, the cities that cannot keep up with varying conditions are destined to lose. The context of this paper is about the effects of the globalization and changes in the economic structure to urban hierarchy which is examined in the Aydın Providence of Turkey. Aydın is a developed province of Aegean Region which is situated in the seaside with its natural amenities that has to be protected. There are sub-regions which have different identities stands out in the province. The settlements in the inner sides and the coast sides differentiate in social, economic, demographic characteristics. While the population of settlements in the coast side of the province are increased as a result of investments and tourism potentials, the population of inner settlements which are based on agricultural economies, are decreased. Consequently, a dual structure is present in the very same region; we can see developing and an under developed sub-regions. The material example of this structure can be observed in two different districts of Aydın; Kuşadası which is situated in the seaside; Söke which is situated in the inner side. At this point, the basic problematic of this paper is about the positive-negative effects of rapid development of certain areas. As a result, in the context of emerging problems, the two settlements which are located in close proximity are examined and the concept of compromising cities suggested instead of competitive cities. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1665&r=ure |
| By: | Carlos Marmolejo Duarte; Carlos Aguirre Nuñez; Eduardo Chica Mejia; Claudia Perez Prieto; Jaume Masip Tresserra |
| Abstract: | Polycentrism is becoming one of the dominant structures in contemporary metropolises. Concentrated decentralization and the integration of formerly independent cities by the reduction of travel time are behind of such a process. In this paper, the spatial structure of the seven biggest metro areas in Spain is depicted. By analyzing employment density and travel-to-work data the polycentric structure of them is detected at the time that the functional borders are delimited. Results suggest a very heterogeneous image where Barcelona and Bilbao emerge as the most polycentric areas at the time that Madrid, Seville and Zaragoza have a structure more orientated towards monocentrism. Clearly polycentric structure seems to be influenced by the orographic nature in which each metropolitan area lays in. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p119&r=ure |
| By: | Corrado Zoppi |
| Abstract: | Sardinian regional planning is characterized by a deep change that followed the approval of the Regional Landscape Plan (RLP). The RLP, which is ruled by the Italian National Code of Cultural Heritage and Landscape, establishes the directions for future Sardinian regional planning. The actual sectoral, province and coastal city plans, and plans for protected areas, have to be changed in order to follow these directions. The adjustment process could be conflictual, since coastal cities, provinces and the administrative offices of protected areas, may possibly disagree with the regional administration about the conservative rules established by the RLP. In this view, this paper evaluates and analyzes the degree of consensus of the people living in the city of Sinnai, a small coastal city of Southern Sardinia, on four planning proposals concerning a portion of the coastal strip. Two of these proposals are consistent with the directions of the (conservative) RLP, and two are not. These four proposals are defined independently from each other by four junior planners of the school of urban planning of the University of Cagliari (Italy), who also propose a set of criteria for making a decision on which of the four proposals is the most suitable. The paper is based on two steps. First, proposals and criteria are defined. Second, a questionnaire is delivered to a random sample of the citizens of Sinnai. Each respondent has to give her/his own ranking of the chosen criteria, being informed that the criteria ranking is going to be used to choose the best projects among the four proposals. An analytic hierarchy process multicriteria analysis procedure will be used to draw conclusions on the experiment. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p705&r=ure |
| By: | Domingo Pérez Ximénez-De-Embún; Marcos Sanso |
| Abstract: | This paper presents a theoretical approach to solve the main problems faced to explain the relationship between aggregate economic growth and the urban structure. The most significant conclusion reached is that there is a theoretical relationship between aggregate economic growth and urban concentration with an inverted-U shape. This result had been previously found in an empirical context (Henderson, 2003), but not as outcome of a theoretical model. An overlapping generations model with four different types of goods (some with both technological and local externalities) and two cities where their production could be located provides the dynamics of the movements of labor and goods across cities. The resulting system of two cities with different patterns of specialization, urban concentration and economic growth rates, makes clear how to set out the comparison of aggregate growth rates: only the aggregate growth rate between two steady states, one without migration but with trade specialization and the other after migration and specialization, makes sense. Henderson, V. (2003), The Urbanization Process and Economic Growth: The So-What Question, Journal of Economic Growth, 8, 47-71. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p884&r=ure |
| By: | Ferhan Gezici |
| Abstract: | The aim of this paper is to analyse interregional disparities and the performance of peripheral/less-developed regions in Turkey regarding the current tools of regional policies. During the planning period in Turkey, two main goals are defined as ‘maximizing national income' on the one hand, and ‘reducing interregional disparities' on the other. In 2002, in order to establish the statistical database harmonized with the regional statistical system of EU, classification of NUTS regions has been completed. After that, the State Planning Organization (SPO) prepared a “Regional Development Strategy, Objectives and Operational Programs†especially for the 10 Level-2 regions which are mostly less developed regions and located in the east, as a road map in order to direct regional development activities in Turkey. Later, Development Agencies in the center of NUTS regions were established to facilitate development objectives of the regions. The aim of this paper is to re-examine the regional disparities under the light of the new process. Mostly the studies on regional disparities considered economic dimension and the results indicate that the distribution of GDP per capita highlights the eastern-spatial peripherality of regional development pattern in Turkey. Previous study of author emphasizes two significant points for regional policies. First, there is evidence of a strengthening of a two-regime spatial division in the country; secondly, there would appear to be little evidence of positive spill-overs from the more-developed to the less-developed parts of the country. Therefore, in this paper, evolutions of regions in terms of their performances will be examined since 1980. The main questions of the paper are: “which regions can be defined as winners and losers?â€Â, “is there any differentiation among less developed regions?â€Â. Furthermore, we try to explore the factors which underlay the aggregate trends of the regions in Turkey, since we know the importance of region-specific policies. The findings of the analyses would be discussed with respect to new regional policies in Turkey. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p147&r=ure |
| By: | Thomas Nicolai; Kai Nagel |
| Abstract: | Activity locations such as work locations or leisure facilities are not uniformly distributed geographically. Also, the travel access to different locations is not uniform. It is plausible to assume that locations with easier access to other activity locations are more attractive than locations with less access. In consequence, urban simulation models such as UrbanSim use accessibility measures, such as ``number of jobs with 30 minutes by car', for several of their submodels. A problem, however, is that accessibility variables are not easy to compute within UrbanSim, for two reasons: 1) UrbanSim does not contain a travel model, and in consequence is not able to compute by itself the congestion effects resulting from land use decisions 2) The travel times are fed back from the travel model in the form of zone-to-zone travel time matrices. As is well known, such matrices grow quadratically in the number of zones. This limits the number of attributes that can be passed, for example different values for different times-of-day and/or for different activity purposes. These issues could be solved within UrbanSim, but only with considerable implementation effort. For that reason, it is important to consider how accessibility measures could be fed back from a travel model to UrbanSim. The present study will look at the question in how far location-based accessibility measures that are computed in the travel model and then fed back to UrbanSim could be used for this purposes. Those accessibility measures are no longer measures belonging to pairs of locations, but just belong to one location; a typical representative is a logsum term. In consequence, the number of entries now grows linearly in the number of locations, allowing much more freedom both in the number of considered locations and in the number of attributes that could be attached to every location that is considered in this way. This paper will address issues such as different spatial resulutions of such accessibility measures, comparisons between different accessibility measures, and computing times. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1394&r=ure |
| By: | Sebastien Chantelot; Peres Stephanie; Virol Stephane |
| Abstract: | The creative class approach (Florida, 2002b) has led to many developments. Therefore, measurement of creativity (Chantelot, 2010), economic influence of creative people in urban (Marlet & Van Woerkens, 2007) and rural (McGranahan & Wojan, 2007) environments, or creative people geography (Chantelot & al., 2010) and factors that shape it (Boshma & Fritsch, 2009) have been investigated. Increasingly, these works tend to substitute static considerations (who and where are creative people?) to dynamic approaches (what do the creative people?). Creativity mainly comes from talent (Florida, 2002a) but creative production is generated through collective process where social interactions, learning and diffusion of ideas predominate (Cohendet & Simon, 2008). The transition from individual to collective process particularly appears to be driven by cities, defined as privileged theaters of creativity (Hall, 1998). Hence, cities managing to convert micro or individuals ideas to macro or collective outputs can be defined as “creative citiesâ€. It sheds light on the determinant role of cities in attracting, organizing and producing creative people in order to experience virtuous path of economic competitiveness (Lucas, 1988). This communication aims to give a conceptual framework to characterize creative cities. At the urban level, it formalizes the micro / macro transition: micro level consists in talent, which includes both individuals with a creative profession directly involved in the production of innovations, new knowledge and ideas - both related to the industrial or scientific sphere (the 'creative core') and arts (the Bohemians) - or in its implementation and management on the market (the 'creative professionals' - ibid.). Therefore, the aim is to connect creative or innovative clusters of firms (where creative pro and core mainly work) with creative urban districts characterized by intense cultural and artistic, driven by Bohemians, and places of socialization and urban regeneration. This connection can be ensured by a meso level characterized by the presence of communities that facilitate the micro/macro-ideas transition to the market. The definition of these three different levels, the construction of their measure, and the way to identify their respective roles and interactions that shape the creative city structure the dynamic conceptual model we propose here. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p373&r=ure |
| By: | Blanca Gutiérrez Valdivia; Pilar GarcÃa Almirall |
| Abstract: | Demographic change occurred in the last decade by the arrival of immigrant population has produced significant social and physical transformations in the Spanish cities. This article is part of a research on the residential and urban conditions of immigrant population in the Metropolitan Region of Barcelona. In this study we have analyzed through case studies the relation between immigration and city through the study of the use of public space and housing characteristics. The immigrant population is generally a very diverse collective. We propose that points in common can be drawn from analyses that take into account other major characteristics, beyond country of origin, such as gender, economic situation and education level. Through observation of groups in public spaces, especially squares, it is possible to identify aspects related both to social status and to gender roles assigned by their original and adopted cultures. This paper focuses on Metropolitan Region of Barcelona, and analyzes its reality based on concrete data and specific in case studies, to verify and compare the initial proposal. To be able to determine parameters for comparison, we have worked with a methodological strategy based of several quantitative and qualitative tools to get an insight on residential and urban conditions of the immigrant population. The main technique used was the participant observation, involving direct observation and presence in different interaction spaces: streets, squares and public facilities. The observations involve two dimensions to make the analysis and the comparison between different fields of study easier: Physical dimension and Social dimension. This made it possible for us to become aware of the different uses made by immigrants and by the Spanish population based on their activities, gender, age, and interaction with other persons. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1361&r=ure |
| By: | Arnstein Gjestland; David McArthur; Liv Osland; Inge Thorsen |
| Abstract: | A variety of methods have been developed which allow the estimation of benefits likely to arise from new transport infrastructure. In this paper, we concentrate on measuring commuting-related benefits. We compare and contrast two different approaches. The first relies on using data on commuting flows and the gravity model. The second approach uses the relationship between labour market accessibility and house prices. We use both methods to quantify these benefits, and discuss some of the potential reasons why they may give different estimates. We take as our case study a large infrastructure project in south-west Norway. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1223&r=ure |
| By: | Kristin Kronenberg |
| Abstract: | This study analyzes determinants of business relocation and identifies regional characteristics which attract relocating firms, using register data provided by Statistics Netherlands. Results indicate that the relocation decisions of firms are not only influenced by firm- and location-specific characteristics, but also by the qualities of a firm’s workforce, and by the attractiveness of a municipality for individuals regarding the amenities which are provided. Furthermore, the findings show that relocation decisions are sector-dependent. Generally, its age and being located in an appealing municipality with high sectoral specialization keep a firm from relocating, whereas firms employing large shares of highly educated workers, paying high average salaries and being located in a municipality with high sector-specific wages are pushed out of their present location. Relocating firms avoid specialized municipalities, while they are attracted by densely populated, appealing municipalities with high wage levels (both general and sector-specific) and large shares of highly educated workers, and which are specialized in the firm’s own sector. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1450&r=ure |
| By: | Daisuke Nakamura |
| Abstract: | There are two types of regional development elements those are namely economic and social terms. While both developing and developed countries initially need to establish regional economic infrastructure, the next concern should be given to the social infrastructure. In local regions, the presence of sufficient social infrastructure may hold the number of populations which is the essential condition for a self-sustained regional structure system. In this paper, a consideration is given to the roles played by public sector for coordinating wider-regional sharing of the social infrastructure element. The analysis reveals the fundamental relationship between the wider-regional sharing and the economies of scale. The outcome also addresses potential issues on consumer accessibility by the integration of economic activity among different neighbour regions. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1022&r=ure |
| By: | Maciej Jakubowski (Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw; Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development); Artur Pokropek (Institute of Educational Research (IBE)) |
| Abstract: | This paper discusses a method to compare progress in reading achievement from primary to secondary school across countries. The method is similar to value-added models that take into account intake levels when comparing student progress in different schools. Value-added models are preferred over raw scores as they better reflect school efforts. The method dis-cussed in this paper uses measures of achievement in primary schools from PIRLS and com-pares them to secondary school results from PISA. Changes in achievement are estimated using IRT models and random draws of test items. Results describe an interval in which esti-mates of progress can lie, depending on the comparability of these two assessments. Estimates of progress are also adjusted for student age, gender and other characteristics that differ be-tween countries and surveys. Separate results by gender, immigrant status, and proficiency level provide a detailed picture of how students in different countries progress in school from the age of 10 to 15. |
| Keywords: | human capital, cognitive skills, international student achievement tests, education, PISA, PIRLS |
| JEL: | I21 J24 O15 P50 |
| Date: | 2011 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:war:wpaper:2011-20&r=ure |
| By: | Ewa Bojar; Matylda Bojar |
| Abstract: | Clusters are a specific form of spatial organization of various sectors of industry and services regarded as the most mature form of organization of production in the post-industrial era. Research on existing cluster structures clearly demonstrates that clusters can be an important drive of regional development. Clusters have positive influence on the other sectors of local and regional economy and significantly contribute to the development of their international competitive advantage. The clusters through external effects, such as technological spill-over, affect the other sectors of local and regional economy and thus lead to increasing their international competitive advantage. Even the cluster-like structures by many are viewed as stimulators of regional development capable to contribute significantly to the growth of export and attract considerable amounts of foreign investments. Cooperation within the cluster structures can produce a wide array of synergy effects and thus cluster participants can benefit even more. Cooperation within the framework of clusters is particularly advantageous to small and medium-sized enterprises; they can combine their innovative potential, team up and apply for external funds more effectively. The concept of clusters represents an important step towards explaining the reasons for unequal distribution of economic activities in space and resultant disparities in economic development between various regions. A groundbreaking model of clusters based on the triple helix of science, business and government has determined new approach to stimulating innovation in order to alleviate regional disparities and ensure sustainable hi-tech regional development. The paper explores clusters as a crucial concept in modern management and contemporary economic development theories and discusses selected factors shaping clustering processes. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p59&r=ure |
| By: | Federico Pablo-Marti; Josep Maria Arauzo-Carod |
| Abstract: | In this paper we try to identify manufacturing and service clusters in Spain, using data from Mercantile Registers of 2006. The proposed methodology partially follows contributions of Duranton and Overman (2005), Brenner (2003 and 2004) and Ellison and Glaser (1997), but departing from them we improve such approaches by several ways. In order to sum up, we can detail our approach and divide it into five stages. Firstly, we divide space into homogeneous cells. Secondly, we create industry specific maps departing from firms’ georeferenced data. Thirdly, we create multiple random industry specific maps under two conditions: i) total number of firms at each industry remains constant and ii) total number of firms at each cell remains constant. Fourthly, we compare the observed spatial distribution of firms with random simulations of such distribution and we check if there is some kind of concentration compared to the random distribution. Fifthly, for each industry we map the areas where the concentration of firms is significantly higher than expected. Previous scheme allows us to identify real clusters (of different shapes and sizes) for all range of manufacturing and service activities and to use this information to design public policies related to such industries. Keywords: cluster analysis, geographic data, microeconomics, regional economics. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p284&r=ure |
| By: | Fernando A López; Ana Angulo; Andrés Artal |
| Abstract: | Agglomeration economies play an important role in the explanation of the development and regional growth. For this reason, there exists a growing interest in the analysis of standards of co-localisation of the economic activities. This topic has been dealt with from different approaches using a good number of technical statistics. Our proposal is to present some of the more well-known statistics usually used in epidemiology, with the objective of identifying spatial clusters of companies dedicated to the same economic activity. As such, this paper analyses the geographic distribution of economic activity throughout the Mediterranean to the smallest possible level of spatial integration (post code level). Firstly, by using exploratory analysis tools of spatial data we identify patterns of localisation of economic activity including both industrial and service areas. Secondly, by using the statistics of T. Tango (1995) and M. Kulldorff (1997) we identify clusters of businesses in distinct subsectors of activity. The information is obtained from the 'Sistema Anual de Balances Ibéricos' (SABI) database and using the National Classification of Economic Activities NCEA code to a 2 digit level. Our results highlight that great differences exist in the production geographic concentration in all sectors. Additionally, the results from our analysis also reveal that well defined groups exist within the economic sectors. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p692&r=ure |
| By: | Michael Barber; Thomas Scherngell |
| Abstract: | Interactions between firms, universities, and research organizations are crucial for successful innovation in the modern knowledge-based economy. Systems of such interactions constitute R&D networks. R&D networks may be meaningful segmented using recent methods for identifying communities, subnetworks whose members are more tightly linked to one another than to other members of the network. In this paper, we identify such communities in the European R&D network using data on joint research projects funded by the fifth European Framework Programme. We characterize the identified communities according to their thematic orientation and spatial structure. By means of a Poisson spatial interaction model, we estimate the impact of various separation factors – such as geographical distance – on the variation of cross-region collaboration activities in a given community. The European coverage is achieved by using data on 255 NUTS-2 regions of the 25 pre-2007 EU member-states, as well as Norway and Switzerland. The results demonstrate that European R&D networks are not homogeneous, instead showing relevant community substructures with distinct thematic and spatial properties. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p392&r=ure |
| By: | Lusso Bruno |
| Abstract: | In France, the Paris region is the traditional centre for decision-making and creative functions. Unsurprisingly, it concentrates most cultural industries – cinema, multimedia, TV, etc. The aim of this paper is to study how other French cities, and more specifically regional medium-sized cities, can develop this type of activities. We will take the example of the multimedia industry in the Lille metropolitan area. Ann-Lee Saxenian (1994) has shown the importance of regional culture and heritage in the constitution of an economic trajectory. The pre-existence of links between film production, media or microelectronic industries, and of an intense cultural life can support the emergence of essential know-how for the development of an image sector (Sträter, 2000). Lille isn’t a traditional filming area and the weak presence of the television media didn’t facilitate the emergence of large regional production groups. But, the decline of textile factories has allowed the development of new activities, as mail-order selling, which have used multimedia and image technologies since the 1980s. Moreover, Lille metropolitan area has a broad training offering in the technical and creative fields which can have significant repercussions for the constitution of a creative class (Florida, 2002). But the emergence of start-up has been very limited since the 1990s and 2000s. In 2009, the Lille metropolitan area counts only 350 firms in the image sector and has not a critical mass. Cognitive diversity generated by a social group stimulates creative individual potential (Miliken, Bartel and Kurtzberg, 2003). This explains the choice made by public authorities to locate audiovisual and multimedia firms in three media districts, which accommodates schools, research centres, publics authorities and firms (thanks to free tax zones, cheap facilities and incubators) according to the Triple Helix principles (Etzkowitz and Leydersdorff, 1997). That projects aim to retain young graduates by offering an environment enable to developing their careers. But the national project for extending the Plaine Saint-Denis audiovisual cluster, located north of Paris, is likely to deter the settlement of firms in Lille, because of the weakness of both the sector and the networks. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1000&r=ure |
| By: | Michael Owyang; Jeremy Piger; Howard Wall |
| Abstract: | The national economy is often described as having a business cycle over which aggregate output enters and exits distinct expansion and recession phases. Analogously, national employment cycles in and out of its own expansion and contraction phases, which are closely related to the business cycle. This paper estimates city-level employment cycles for 58 large U.S. cities and documents the substantial cross-city variation in the timing, lengths, and frequencies of their employment contractions. It also shows how the spread of city-level contractions associated with U.S. recessions has tended to follow recession-specific geographic patterns. In addition, cities within the same state or region have tended to have similar employment cycles. There is no evidence, however, that similarities in employment cycles are related to similarities in industry mix. This suggests that the U.S. employment and business cycles has a spatial dimension that is independent of broad industry-level fluctuations. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1525&r=ure |
| By: | Sandra Silva; Isabel Mota; Filipe Grilo |
| Abstract: | The construction of formal models that deal with space observed a huge increase since the late 1980s. As Fujita et al. (1999) stress, the field of regional economics experienced a revival with the emergence of new analytical tools such as the diffusion of imperfect competition models, networks and mathematical programming. One of the most powerful tools within social science in general and economics in particular is game theory. This methodology allows for the formal analysis of the interactions among economic agents and, therefore, it is particularly useful for the study of economic decisions regarding spatial issues such as the location choices of firms and households; infrastructures, transports and communications; regional and urban policy; innovation and regional development; and regional labour markets. For this reason, a concrete, quantitative systematization of the use of this tool on regional economics research seems to be a relevant topic in the agenda concerned with progress in regional science. In this paper we study research in regional economics and provide a quantitative retrospective of the use of game theory in this field. Our main goal is twofold. First, we intend to categorize the contributions in the use of this analytical tool - by main research subjects, by authors’ affiliations, by journal, etc. - using a bibliometric approach. Second, by analysing co-authoring and using Social Network Analysis, we want to test the existence of structures upon which distinct co-authorship emerges. In broader terms, the results of this research will provide a framework for analyzing the potential use of game theory in regional economics, suggesting new future research directions. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1447&r=ure |
| By: | Arne Feddersen; Gabriel Ahlfeldt |
| Abstract: | This paper presents evidence that high speed rail systems, by bringing economic agents closer together, sustainably promote economic activity within regions that enjoy an increase in accessibility. Our results on the one hand confirm expectations that have led to huge public investments into high speed rail all over the world. On the other hand, they confirm theoretical predictions arising from a consolidate body of (New) Economic Geography literature taking a positive, man-made and reproducible shock as a case in point. We argue that the economic geography framework can help to derive ex ante predictions on the economic impact of transport projects. The subject case is the German high speed rail track connecting Cologne and Frankfurt, which, as we argue, provides exogenous variation in access to regions due to the construction of intermediate stations in the towns of Limburg and Montabaur. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p545&r=ure |
| By: | Koning Martin; Haywood Luke |
| Abstract: | Since they change the individuals’ time perception, qualitative aspects of transport are increasingly discussed as factors influencing the choice between individualised and public transport. In this article we investigate, both analytically and empirically, the utility cost of congestion in public transport networks, the congestion being defined as the space available for travelers in trains. First, we propose a simple model integrating a qualitative component into the utility function of commuters. This enables us to underline the effect on the individual welfare, and modal decision, of reduced comfort in trains. For a policy aiming at reducing car usage, this “cross-modal externality†may significantly soften the overall modal switch. Therefore, it appears of major interest to appraise the utility cost of public transport congestion.. Using contingent methodology and survey data from central Paris subway - a relevant case study due to recent evolutions in transportation patterns- we then approximate this discomfort effect. According to answers of 533 line 1 users, this is equivalent to 5.7-8.1 minutes of excess travel, i.e. 29%-42% of average trip duration or 1.01-1.42 euro once translated in monetary terms. With the use of categorical estimates, we show that these figures significantly rise with trip time as well as levels of congestion, while being quite stable across individual characteristics. We conclude with policy implications by approximating the marginal benefit of subway decongestion at 0.25 euro/passenger*kilometer. This new parameter allows us to illustrate how considering comfort in public transport changes the picture when one comes to appraise evolutions in the Parisian transportation patterns. For example, decongestion benefits in undergrounds (3.5 M euros) due to a new tramway in South Paris overpass the time savings induced by this new infrastructure (2.7 M euros). Over 2000-2007, the increase in subway congestion costs may also be estimated at 100 M euros. Therefore, these figures underline the need for an accurate understanding of the perceived costs of travels. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p815&r=ure |
| By: | Wawrzyniec Rudolf |
| Abstract: | The paper concerns the problem how local authorities should tackle with the problem of outward migration process. The dynamics of population development and migration in Europe and its regions have its influence on territorial cohesion and regional competitiveness. Migration is the process which from macroeconomic point of view has number of attitudes in Europe or in Member States. Unfortunately, when we look at that process from the single city or regional perspective it can have very negative effects into its socio–economic development. Usually the city/region which suffer from outward migration is losing the most valuable workforce – young, creative and tertiary educated graduates. The city/regional authorities should undertake measures aimed at keeping them at place. The best way to do that is stimulating the development of local economy in the long way, but this process, to be successful should be complemented by creative marketing action. The author is presenting the case study of the marketing programme implemented in 2008 in the post industrial city of Łodź, Poland (entitled: The Young Within the City of Łodź). The case study is an example of interesting approach to solve this very vital problem at the local labour market. The article present the complexity of the project, it shows how it correspond with the economic development strategy for the city. The partnership aspect is also undertaken in the context of successful delivering of the programme in the period 2008-2011). The city managers are collaborating with local universities, job agencies, and other partners. The author argue that successful marketing programme should not only concern image creation, but it should be designed for the benefit of the territorial client (in the case study: the current and prospect students in the city of Łodź). The author draw number of conclusions for other local authorities how to face similar difficulties in outward migration at the local labour market |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1221&r=ure |
| By: | Ryusuke Ihara |
| Abstract: | Using a simple two-region model with the positive and negative effects of labor heterogeneity, we investigate the agglomeration pattern of entrepreneurs and the commuting pattern of heterogeneous workers. Labor heterogeneity is a source of productivity for e.g. high-tech industries as well as is an obstacle to e.g. mass production. As a result, we show that entrepreneurs tend to concentrate to a region hence regional labor markets are united with interregional commuting when (i) the commuting cost or (ii) the adjustment cost of labor heterogeneity is low, and when (iii) the input of heterogeneous labor is large. These results explain: the progress of urbanization with the decrease in commuting costs; the difference in the agglomeration tendency of industries. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p528&r=ure |
| By: | Ebru Seçkin |
| Abstract: | Advances in information and communication technologies bring along changes in working and employment conditions. Automationed work is moved to distant areas and businesses get elaborate, far from the center and network-based. Another change similar to the disintegration of production process is also seen in services sector. While jobs to develop technologies are left to the developed regions, routine and demanding jobs are transferred to peripheries. This situation brings about a centre-periphery division in structuring employment. One of the businesses that have emerged in this process is call centers. Firms, operating in various sectors, obtain call center service from outsource firms.Today, call centers are mostly located in less developed regions. While call centers first originated in developed regions, due to the increased costs in these regions, lots of firms have made their call service investments in less developed regions. Labor-intensive call centers are regarded as a solution to the unemployment in less developed regions. Within this framework, cities in Turkey, were evaluated according to location factors that call center firms take into account in this paper. The second part, the discussions in the literature are presented. Factors that become effective location decision of call centre firms were cited. In the third part, cities in Turkey, were evaluated according to location factors that call center firms take into account. Cities that were suitable for call center investment has been determined. In point of view of employees in call centers located in five cities in less developed and developed regions differences was determined by ANOVA and correspondence analysis. In the result, suggestions have been offered for location decision of call center based on statistical factors and employees' point of view Keywords:labour market, call centre, Turkey, location factors |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p742&r=ure |
| By: | Terry Gregory; Melanie Arntz; Florian Lehmer |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the determinants of internal migration in a context where wages tend to be rather inflexible at a regional scale so that regional labor demand shocks have a prolonged impact on employment rates. Regional income differentials, then, reflect both regional pay and employment differentials. In such a context, migrants tend to move to regions that best reward their skills in terms of both of these dimensions. As an extension to the Borjas framework, the paper thus hypothesizes that regions with a low employment inequality attract more unskilled workers compared to regions with unequal employment chances. By estimating a migration model for the average skill level of gross labor flows between 27 German regions, we find evidence in favor of this hypothesis. While rising employment inequality in a region raises the average skill level of an in-migrant, higher pay inequality in a region does not have a significant impact on the average skill level of its in-migrants. A higher employment inequality in Eastern as compared to Western Germany may, thus, be the missing link to explain the fact that East-West migrants tend to be rather unskilled. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p972&r=ure |
| By: | Rafael González-Val; Arturo Ramos-Gutiérrez; Fernando Sanz-Gracia |
| Abstract: | This paper analyses in detail the features offered by a function which is practically new to Urban Economics, the q-exponential, in describing city size distributions. We highlight two contributions. First, we propose a new and simple procedure for estimating their parameters. Second, and more importantly, we explain the characteristics associated with two traditional graphic methods (Zipf plots and cumulative density functions) for discriminating between functions. We apply them to the lognormal and q-exponential, justifying them as the best functions for explaining the entire distribution, and that the relationship between them is of complementarity. The empirical evidence relies on the analysis of urban data of three countries (USA, Spain and Italy) over all of the 20th century. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p554&r=ure |
| By: | Geetesh Bhardwaj; Rajdeep Sengupta |
| Abstract: | This paper introduces a measure of credit score performance that abstracts from the influence of “situational factors.” Using this measure, we study the role and effectiveness of credit scoring that underlied subprime securities during the mortgage boom of 2000-2006. Parametric and nonparametric measures of credit score performance reveal different trends, especially on originations with low credit scores. The paper demonstrates an increasing trend of reliance on credit scoring not only as a measure of credit risk but also as a means to offset other riskier attributes of the origination. This reliance led to deterioration in loan performance even though average credit quality—as measured in terms of credit scores— actually improved over the years. |
| Keywords: | Credit scoring systems ; Mortgage loans |
| Date: | 2011 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fip:fedlwp:2011-040&r=ure |
| By: | Marta R. Casanova; Vicente Orts; Jose M. Albert; Jorge Mateu |
| Abstract: | In this paper, we propose an analytical and methodological comparison between two of the most known distance-based methods in the evaluation of the geographic concentration of economic activity. These two methods are Ripley’s K function, a cumulative function popularised by Marcon and Puech (2003) that counts the average number of neighbours of each point within a circle of a given radius, and K density function, a probability density function of point-pair distances introduced by Duranton and Overman (2005), which considers the distribution of distances between pairs of points. To carry out this comparison, we first apply both methodologies to an exhaustive database containing Spanish manufacturing establishments and we evaluate the spatial location patterns obtained from both analysis. After an initial analysis, we realise that although these functions have always been treated as substitutes they should be considered as complementary, as both cumulative function and probability density function provide relevant and necessary information about the distribution of activity in space. Therefore, our next step will be to assess what are the advantages and disadvantages of each methodology from a descriptive and analytical way. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p737&r=ure |
| By: | Manuel Pérez Montiel; Gislaine Cristina de Souza Rech; Judite Sanson de Bem |
| Abstract: | Economic convergence: a regional and subregional view Manuel Pérez Montiel Gislaine Cristina de Souza Rech Judite Sanson de Bem The study of economic convergence among nations is based on the initial work of Barro and Sala-i-Martin (1991), a topic of spatial econometric analysis Recently, research on economic convergence have been directed towards smaller spatial scales: regions in a country and urban regions and microregions in a Region. Economic convergence is a structural process, which occurs in the long term. The availability of comprehensive information and accurate for very long periods of time, and new processing techniques of spatial information,allows to study of economic convergence processes from a more detailed view. In this paper it is postulated that the processes of economic convergence, regional and subregional level, are produced according to different models. It tries to identify these different patterns of economic convergence within a nation or a region. We show, first, a model that identifies the different types of convergence that may occur simultaneously in the process of economic convergence of the spatial units of a region or sub-areas of a region. We study the dynamics of population and GDP in each subarea and shows how the convergence process can take place according to different guidelines. To Implement the model we can use two types of tools: a) the statistical treatment of available databases detailed spatial scale-provinces, urban regions and cities. b) the generation of graphs and maps with GIS tools. The model presented in this document is tested by applying it to the process of economic convergence in the long term in Spain, on the study period 1957 - 2006 and as spatial units, the provinces. For the period 1957 to 1991, we use the publications of the studies service of Banco de Bilbao on Spain's national income and its regional distribution. for the period 1986-2006 we use the statistical series of the National Institute of Statistics. Results show that economic convergence in Spain has occurred following different patterns. Keywords: Convergence, Regional and Subregional Scales, GIS. Regional GDP and Population |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p712&r=ure |
| By: | Nathalie Picard; Constantinos Antoniou |
| Abstract: | In the context of the SustainCity project (www.sustaincity.eu), three European cities (Brussels, Paris and Zurich) will be modelled using the land use microsimulation platform UrbanSim. This platform relies on various models interacting with each other, to predict long-term urban development. The aim of this paper is to provide some econometric insight into this process. A common set of notation and assumptions are first defined, and the more common model structures (linear regression, multinomial logit, nested logit, mixed MNL and latent variable models) are described in a consistent way. Special treatments and approaches that are required due to the specific nature of the data in this type of applications (i.e. involving very large number of alternatives, and often exhibiting endogeneity, correlation, and (pseudo-)panel data properties) will also be discussed. For example, importance sampling, spatial econometrics, Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) and endogeneity issues will be covered. Applications and specific options of the following models: (i) household location choice model, (ii) jobs location/firmography, (iii) real estate price model, and (iv) land development model, will be demonstrated using examples from the on-going case studies in Brussels, Paris and Zurich. Finally, lessons learnt in relation to the econometric models from these on-going case studies will be summarized. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1494&r=ure |
| By: | Facundo Albornoz; Antonio Cabrales; Esther Hauk |
| Abstract: | Immigration is an important problem in many societies, and it has wide-ranging effects on the educational systems of host countries. There is a now a large empirical literature, but very little theoretical work on this topic. We introduce a model of family immigration in a framework where school quality and student outcomes are determined endogenously. This allows us to explain the selection of immigrants in terms of parental motivation and the policies which favor a positive selection. Also, we can study the effect of immigration on the school system and how school quality may self-reinforce immigrants' and natives' choices. |
| Keywords: | education, immigration, school resources, parental involvement, immigrant sorting. |
| JEL: | I20 I21 I28 J24 J61 |
| Date: | 2011–11–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:aub:autbar:888.11&r=ure |
| By: | Anne Margarian |
| Abstract: | We want to isolate systematically differing small-scale agglomeration-patterns, which indicate different types of competition between localities. We apply a technique of indirect closure based on the differing observed relation between local business tax-rate and tax-revenue and use a mixed multi-level model in order to cope with local dependencies on different scales. Thereby it is shown that small-scale agglomeration effects, i.e. differing development potentials of similar municipalities, are at least partially determined by settlement characteristics, geographical relative position and industry structure. Since these influences interact in various ways the observed patterns are very complex. It is due to small-scale “agglomeration-effectsâ€, defined here as a positive observed relation between tax-rate and tax-revenue, that municipalities of the same type may nevertheless have different potentials in economic development. On the other hand, a high mobility of firms in a dynamic environment strengthens the competition-effect as indicated by a negative relation between tax-rate and tax-revenue. Under such circumstances municipalities will strive for convergence. In empirical studies comparing regional developments on various geographical scales these heterogeneous relations will have to be taken into account in order to reach generalisable conclusions. we also conclude that regional economic policy cannot apply identical concepts independently of the wider economic environment. Instead it has to react to the differing endogenous potentials of localities for economic development. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1340&r=ure |
| By: | Løken, Katrine; Lommerud, Kjell Erik; Lundberg, Shelly |
| Abstract: | Norwegian registry data is used to investigate the location decisions of a full population cohort of young adults as they complete their education, establish separate households and form their own families. We find that the labor market opportunities and family ties of both partners affect these location choices. Surprisingly, married men live significantly closer to their own parents than do married women, even if they have children, and this difference cannot be explained by differences in observed characteristics. The principal source of excess female distance from parents in this population is the relatively low mobility of men without a college degree, particularly in rural areas. Despite evidence that intergenerational resource flows, such as childcare and eldercare, are particularly important between women and their parents, the family connections of husbands appear to dominate the location decisions of less-educated married couples. |
| Keywords: | Gender relations; Geographic mobility; Married couples; Residence choice |
| JEL: | J12 J16 J61 |
| Date: | 2011–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:8640&r=ure |
| By: | Cristina Brasili |
| Abstract: | Starting from the definition of local development as a process of cooperation and change managed by local actors whose main goal is producing collective goods for the local community I would like to consider the factors which favour the possibility of making the process start. In the first part it will be presented the several programs for a sustainable urban development by the European Commission (Urban I, Urban II, Leipzig Charter) from Nineties up to now. Moreover, passing through the concept of territorial capital it will be design the linkages between local and urban development in the EU in order to arrange effective policies to improve the local and urban development. Therefore, politics of local development must intervene to increase cities territorial capital; this could seem to be obvious but it is less evident than quantifying territorial capital, in particular the cities one. The second part of the paper has just been finalized to find out seven essential components of territorial capital: productive, cognitive, social, relational, environmental, settlement, infrastructural components. Selecting one or more variables for each one of these components (with the exception of the relational one which we can't quantify) they can represent the territorial capital for European cities. The used variables are taken from Eurostat Urban Audit database about European cities, they refer to 2006/2007 biennium and they regard 118 cities of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Spain, France, Esthonia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Holland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland and United Kingdom. Synthesizing the information given by the chosen variables (through the statistical analysis of the Principal Components) it will be specify six groups of cities which are as homogeneous as possible for presence of territorial capital, this is very useful to better addressed the policies to the local and, more specifically, urban development. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1382&r=ure |
| By: | Alka Obadic; Natasa Kurnoga Zivadinovic |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the main characteristics of regional clusters in EU 27 and Croatia. The special interest is focused on the economic performance of regional clusters in the Croatian economy. The main research question is: what characterises regional clusters in EU 27 and Croatia, and what are the main tendencies in cluster development? The cluster survey in this paper is focused on (i) the size and nature of the cluster, (ii) and which industrial activities in the clusters are performed. The purpose of this research is to analyse the importance of clusters and their influence on employment growth. The analysis is based on the theoretical framework of the cluster development and experiences in some old and new EU countries. The research shows that clusters in EU 27 and Croatia differ in many dimensions: the point they arise, the type of products and services they produce, their stage of development, and the business environment that surrounds them. The analysis of European regional clusters shows that most of European clusters are rather young. A large majority of them were created after 1970 and the development of regional clusters in Croatia begun even later. Namely, expansion of Croatian regional clusters mainly started after year 2005. The innovative activity of European clusters is relatively concentrated in few areas in Europe (West Germany and most regions of Austria, the North and East of France, the South-east part of United Kingdom, the Netherlands and in some Scandinavian countries, mostly in Sweden). Our research selected the most dominated clusters in EU-27 and Croatia: the agricultural products cluster, the construction cluster, the IT cluster, the tourism and hospitality cluster and the transportation and logistics cluster. The investigation confirms that in the agricultural products cluster the highest number of employees has the region of the Mediterranean Spain, and in the construction cluster, the IT cluster, the tourism and hospitality cluster and the transportation and logistics cluster has Italy. Majority of clusters in Croatia function in manufacturing and agriculture sector, have more than 500 employees (40% of all), mainly are financed by membership (68%), and produce for Croatian market (72%). |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1708&r=ure |
| By: | Antonio G. CALAFATI (Universita' Politecnica delle Marche, Dipartimento di Economia) |
| Abstract: | The paper conducts an empirical exploration of the growth trajectories of the main cities of the Third Italy - a macro-region that has attracted much attention for its economic performances in the past decades. The findings of the extraordinary heterogeneity of city growth trajectories - a why-question still unobserved and unaddressed - will be discussed with regard to two methodological issues: firstly, the claim that macro-regional performances can be explained by macro-regional factors; secondly, the hypothesis, implicit in many studies, that the factors treated in the model as explanatory variables of macro-regional and urban economic performances remain constant over time. As the paper will show, the results of the empirical analysis question important parts of the received explanation of Third Italy's economic success, and they also prompt more general reflection on the theoretical framework to be used to study the long-run growth performances of cities. |
| Keywords: | Third Italy, cities' growth trajectories, cities' long-run economic performances, macro-regional performances, macro-regions |
| JEL: | B41 O18 O43 R11 R12 |
| Date: | 2011–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:anc:wpaper:366&r=ure |
| By: | Geoffrey Hewings; Jae Hong Kim |
| Abstract: | The disequilibrium adjustment frameworks, pioneered by Carlino & Mills (1987) and further extended by Boarnet (1994a), have been widely adopted by various regional and intra-regional studies, 1) determining whether jobs follow people or people follow jobs or the both; 2) examining the determinants of growth or location decisions; and 3) investigating spread versus backwash effects. Beyond these traditional uses of the framework, this chapter presents an idea of using the model for small area population and employment forecasting and impact analysis. An application using data for the Chicago metropolitan area reveals that the framework, capturing spatial population-employment interaction and adjustment processes, can be a powerful small area forecasting and impact analysis tool, when it is combined with a regional economic forecasting method. Particularly, the spatial econometric specification of the model facilitates the integration of horizontal (across spatial units) as well as vertical (over the hierarchy; macro and sub-regional) dimensions to the analysis of change. This study also discusses some theoretical issues and methodological challenges in this type of application. Keywords: Small-areas Forecasting, Spatial Adjustment, Econometric Input-Output Model. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1839&r=ure |
| By: | Jacek Sołtys |
| Abstract: | In Polish regions there are big differences of the level of development between metropolitan areas (and others surroundings of big cities) and peripheral ones. These differences refere also to the factors and chances of development – in the peripheral areas there are little of them. What could help the activation of those areas is the development of some of the cities, including the localization of the investments. But the development usually requires the support of regional politics resources. In the area of the authors' interests there are problems of regional politics, 1) Which cities should be supported to activate the best peripheral areas of the regions? 2) What kind of transformations of the city space should be supported as part of that politics? Author analyses the problems and relations presented above and designs scenarios of activation of the chosen peripheral areas of provinces in northern Poland. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1688&r=ure |
| By: | Enrique López-Bazo; Burhan Can Karahasan |
| Abstract: | This paper checks for the robustness of the estimate of the impact of market access on the regional variability of human capital, derived from the NEG literature. The hypothesis is that the estimate of the coefficient of the measure of market access is actually capturing the effect of regional differences in the industrial mix, and the spatial dependence in the distribution of human capital. Results for the Spanish provinces indicate that the estimated impact of market access vanishes and becomes non-significant once these two elements are included in the empirical analysis. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1122&r=ure |
| By: | Philipp Breidenbach; Timo Mitze; Christoph Schmidt |
| Abstract: | Numerous studies have focused on the role of EU regional policy in fostering growth and convergence among European regions, why conducting another one? We argue that two facts are still lacking in the actual academic debate in order to get a sound empirical identification strategy and reliable results: First, one should take the theoretical underpinnings of regional growth models more serious, and second, a likewise careful account of the role of spatial dependence in the underlying data is needed. Though research has increasingly become aware of the latter point as important control factor for regional heterogeneity and omitted variables, in empirical operationalization still the ad-hoc inclusion of a hardly interpretable ‘catch-all’ spatial lag term of the endogenous variable is the first choice. We rather follow the lines of new theoretical and empirical approaches aiming at directly quantifying interregional spillovers associated with the amount of funds granted to lagging regions and their neighborhood. The dataset includes 127 NUTS1/-2 regions within the EU15 over the decade 1997-2007. In the spotlight of the investigation are the Objective 1 payments which are provided for lagging regions with a GDP p.c. of less than 75% of the EU average. These payments shall represent the main instrument to fulfill the central aim of European regional policy, the boost of convergence and harmonic growth over the EU. They represent about two third of the whole European cohesion policy. In our estimations we run a neoclassical convergence model in mainly four different specifications. On the one hand we separate in the aspatial and spatial models. On the other hand we run additive and multiplicative applications in order to consider the right coefficient interpretations. We estimate the model in various econometric specifications to point out the effectiveness of these funding. Our results all hint to the unpleasant result that EU structural funds objective 1 funding has a remarkably little or even negative direct impact on regional growth within the EU15. The spatial funding effects turn into negative significance in the most model specifications. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1144&r=ure |
| By: | Lale Berkoz; Merve Sakar |
| Abstract: | Prof. Dr. Lale BERKÖZ ITU, Faculty of Architecture Department of Urban and Regional Planning Taksim, Taşkışla, 34437, İstanbul e-mail: lberkoz@itu.edu.tr e-mail: lberkoz@gmail.com Merve SAKAR Business Development Assistant Specialist Yapı Kredi Koray GYO A.Ş. Şişli, Elit Residence, No: 17, K: 17, D: 42, 34360, İstanbul e-mail: msakar@yapikredikoray.com e-mail: mervesakar@yahoo.com Abstract The effects of the social and spatial transformation caused by globalization can also be seen within the Istanbul metropolitan area. The growth of the service sector in Istanbul since the 1980s may be attributed to the expansion of foreign multinational corporations, transnational banks, growth in international relations, extension of foreign trade and enlargement of business size. Within this process, a need for qualified and user friendly office areas came into existence. This study will investigate the satisfaction and expectations of office tenants in Istanbul office market. The data collected in this study were obtained through a survey of 330 office tenants in Istanbul. The survey was conducted by internet interviews during April 2010 (Sakar, 2010). The results of collected data were compared with the study, What Office Tenants Want, that prepared by ULI/BOMA in 1999. The results of this research have particular policy and planning implications for Istanbul and may stimulate the creation of real estate development in developing user-satisfying and well-equipped office buildings for the city center that respond to the desires and needs of FİRE firms with respect to location and mechanical infrastructure necessitated by the new telecommunications systems. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p402&r=ure |
| By: | Marian Rizov |
| Abstract: | Abstract We compute aggregate productivity of three categories of regions, classified by level of urbanization in the Netherlands, from firm-specific total factor productivity (TFP) measures. TFP measures are estimated by a semi-parametric algorithm, within 2-digit industries, covering agriculture, manufacturing, construction, trade and services, using AMADEUS data over the period 1997-2006. We analyse the productivity differentials across urbanization categories by decomposing them into industry productivity effect and industry composition effect. Our analysis indicates that there is non-linear, inverted U-shape effect of agglomeration on productivity growth but in levels agglomeration is associated with higher productivity. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p231&r=ure |
| By: | Catherine Haeck; Pierre Lefebvre; Philip Merrigan |
| Abstract: | We investigate the impact of an ambitious provincial school reform in Canada on students’ mathematical achievements. This reform provides advantages for the purpose of evaluation and cuts across some of the methodological difficulties of previous research. First, the reform was implemented in every school across the province in both primary and secondary schools. Second, we can differentiate impacts according to the number of years students are affected by the reform. Third, our data set provides a longer observation period than typically encountered in the literature. We find negative effects on students’ mathematical achievements at all points of the skills distribution. |
| Keywords: | School reform, Math achievements, DID and CIC estimators |
| JEL: | I21 I28 |
| Date: | 2011 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:lvl:lacicr:1135&r=ure |
| By: | Lasse Sigbjørn Stambøl |
| Abstract: | An important motivation to establish and develop higher education institutions across regions is to improve and restructure the regional labour markets toward higher education jobs, contribute to maintain the regional settlement patterns of the population generally and to increase the numbers of higher educated labour especially. This paper introduces a short description of the Norwegian regional higher education institution system, followed by analyses of the impact of higher education institutions on regional labour markets, labour and job mobility and population development featuring e.g. studies of the students’ post graduate regional mobility and the regional ability of students to complete their graduation. Most of the analyses are based on data from individual registers covering the entire population, and partly organised as regional panel data. Tentative results suggest that regions that contain both university and high schools perform better than average on most indicators being analysed; especially, the ability to increase the number of higher educated labour, the return to the net increase of professionals at the higher education institutions on the numbers of regional higher educated labour, the ability to re-allocate jobs within firms from low to higher education jobs, higher than average net in-migration of population due to relatively low out-migration and stronger import of knowledge through in-migration than export of knowledge through out-migration, thus experiencing a strong regional “brain-gainâ€. Furthermore, the regions where the higher education institute itself represents a minor part of the local higher educated labour market, perform mostly better than those regions where the higher education institute itself represents a medium or major part of the local higher educated labour market. Finally, the regions without higher education institutes mostly perform lower than average on most indicators, except the ability to create new jobs in new established firms. However, these regions also show higher than average closures of firms generally. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1403&r=ure |
| By: | Cheng Hsienhsin; Chen Chengche |
| Abstract: | This article attempts to apply digitizing methods to historic assets in old downtown by map overlaying analysis after map rectifying, and then taking textual method through surveying images. After proving and conform through research, townscape could be connected with real historic traces by reality digitizing approach, and it will make a reality aura of formerly district for visitors. In this way the abundant, definite and impressive content of district can be the valuable materials in region development, and the time and space of this district could continue the history and culture of the city. Consequently, this article aims to set up a feasibility proposal applied to it concretely. This article puts forward 1.the district analysis through historic map rectifying 2.the reality digital reconstruction of streets digital archives elements 3.the application on AR(Augmented Reality) in historic district, and brings forward an technological approach which could respond to the challenge of losing regional characteristics in redevelopment process with an example of Zong-Ye historic district in traditional Tainan City. Therefore, this proposal which places great emphasis on local history and culture is equipped with applying value for European cities based on plentiful culture in cultural industries and regional development issues. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1240&r=ure |
| By: | Christopher Bryant; Ghalia Chahine |
| Abstract: | Periurban agricultural territories have had to confront many pressures over the last 70 years, ranging from land development pressures emanating from nearby large cities and metropolis to technological change, to the draw of the urban labour market on farmers’ families, to the consequences of climate change and variability. They are also increasingly expected to provide stable supplies of foodstuffs to the nearby urban markets as well as having the potential to respond to many other urban demands for other functions that these agricultural areas can support. Periurban agricultural areas can be considered as strategic components of urban and metropolitan regions. They have much more to offer to their regional economies and societies than simply food production because they are also support multiple functions, both market-based and non market function. Market-based functions include the production of foodstuffs for the urban market as well as functions related to both tourism and leisure activity. Non-market based functions include the conservation of landscape heritage, and water and biodiversity conservation; some of these can also be transformed into functions that generate supplementary income for the farming families. Some functions serve to strengthen the linkages between farming, farm families and nearby urban areas. For this strengthening to occur, it appears essential that: a) farmers and their families become involved in the development of their own multifunctional agriculture-based projects; and b) the significance of the non-agricultural functions must also be appropriated by non-agricultural actors, such as local government, nearby city governments, community and consumer organisations. These points are illustrated by examples drawn from several countries, including research-action projects involving the two authors neat Montréal. These latter projects, appropriated by the local farming communities, involve local development processes that can be modified to deal with periurban agricultural areas in any political and cultural context. These processes involve the development of new models of agricultural development and relatively new approaches to local and community development. These processes reinforce regional and national programs of agricultural land ‘protection’ which, it is argued, need such supportive local and community development processes in order to be effective. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p844&r=ure |
| By: | Blanca De Miguel Molina; José Luis Hervás Oliver; Rafael Boix Domenech; MarÃa De Miguel Molina |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the existence of regional agglomerations of manufacturing, service and creative industries, the relationship between these industries and the wealth of regions and their industrial structure. Through an analysis of 250 European regions, three important conclusions can be inferred from the results obtained in this paper. The first is that creative industries play an important role in the wealth of a region. The second is that the most creative regions are characterized by having more high-tech manufacturing industries than the rest of the regions although the number of low-tech manufacturing firms is similar. Lastly, the industrial structure of each region has a greater influence on regional wealth than the existence of industrial agglomerations. The importance of this paper resides in the fact that up until now no analysis has demonstrated that creative industries are the most important industries in regional wealth. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p472&r=ure |
| By: | Antonio Russo; Alan Quaglieri DomÃÂnguez |
| Abstract: | Using data from the Labour Force Surveys in the 2001-2008 period, this paper analyses the evolution in the distribution of “creative professions†as a share of regional workforces (at NUTS2 level), and correlates it with the evolution of p.c. GDP, in different time periods, to test the hypothesis of causal relationship between the two variables, in either direction. It then proposes a regional classification based on the spatial clustering of these effects, which highlights the existence of “national effects†and the relevance of geographical specificities. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p65&r=ure |
| By: | Francesco Pigliaru; Luciano Mauro |
| Abstract: | Since Putnam's work on social capital, the Italian regional case has been a very rich source of both data and theories about the origins of large and persistent differences in local stocks of social capital, and about the impact of such differences on economic performances. The Italian case is widely interpreted as supporting the idea that persistent regional divides are largely explained by local differences in social capital. In this paper we maintain that this interpretation fails to recognize that the current large regional gap in Italy is significantly linked to two policy decisions taken by the central State at the beginning of the 1970s. In particular, we focus on the possibility that social capital became a binding constraint for the growth of southern Italy’s mainly as a consequence of the deep process of governmental decentralization that began in the1970s. We formalize this hypothesis by using an endogenous growth model with public capital. In this model, the accumulation of public capital is characterized by the presence of iceberg costs that depend on social capital. Decentralization affects these costs because the impact of the local stocks of social capital on public investment increases when the latter is managed locally. To assess the role of decentralization as a trigger of the influence of local social capital on growth, we control for the impact of labor market reforms, a second and almost simultaneous institutional shock that took place in Italy and that made regional labor markets far more rigid than in the previous decades. In the second part of our paper, we use the large empirical literature on the Italian regions to restrict the values of the parameters of our model in order to perform a simple simulation exercise. In this exercise, the model turns out to be able to account for the major swings in the convergence of southern regions towards the center-northern regions since 1861. The general lessons we can draw from this further analysis of the Italian regional case are as follows. First, we show that the strength of social capital as a determinant of long-run growth may depend on some well-defined characteristic of the institutional context. Second, our model suggests that the economic success of decentralization policies -- even when the budget constraint is not 'soft' -- depends on the local endowment of social capital. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1866&r=ure |
| By: | Eva Psatha; Alex Deffner; Yannis Psycharis |
| Abstract: | In 2010 the World Health Organisation dedicated the Word Health Day to urbanization and health, highlighting the impacts of urban living on physical and mental health. This is because it is increasingly acknowledged that cities face various problems that undermine the quality of urban life, e.g.social inequalities, urban crime, poor environment, and traffic congestion. Despite this fact, cities continue to play a vital role in development, as they offer higher education, specialized services and jobs. When it comes to an assessment of the living conditions and well-being in cities, economic indices have failed to capture the aforementioned contradiction of urban life. A concept able to monitor the multidimensional nature of cities seems to be the “quality of urban life†(QOUL). The multidimensionality of the QOUL concept reflects the variety of the examined dimensions, but also the range of the different uses of the term. Many different approaches of this concept can be found not only between papers of different disciplines (health sciences, social sciences or planning), but also in the context of the same scientific field. Thus, although there has recently been a remarkable number of comparative studies and papers concerning the evaluation of QOUL in different cities, the factors taken into account are far from being standard. In part, this is because the constituents of the QOUL depend on rather subjective factors, such as culture and tradition in the examined places. However, for a given place and a specific time period there can be an agreement concerning the determinants of QOUL. This will allow for relative research to be comparable and better interpretable. This paper starts with an analysis of the standard approaches of the QOUL concept as they can be found in the relative scientific literature. It continues with the analysis of QOUL determinants in societies, focusing in cities. The criteria taken into account for the measurement of the QOUL in the evaluation of cities and the city rankings are also examined. Finally, a range of factors which can be used as a standard set when examining the QOUL in European cities is proposed. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p785&r=ure |
| By: | Stilianos Alexiadis; Matthias Koch; Tamás Krisztin |
| Abstract: | In this paper an attempt is made to assess the hypothesis of re- gional club-convergence, using a spatial panel analysis combined with B-Splines. In this context, a ‘convergence-club’ is conceived as a group of regions that in the long-run move towards steady-state equilib- rium, approximated in terms of the average per-capita income. Using data for the US states over the period 1929-2005, a pattern of club- convergence is detected. The ’cluster’ of converging states is rather limited and a strong spatial component is detected. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1678&r=ure |
| By: | Marcial Echenique; Vadim Grinevich; Antony Hargreaves; Vassilis Zachariadis |
| Abstract: | Random utility modelling has been established as one of the main paradigms for the implementation of land use and transport interaction (LUTI) models. Despite widespread application of such models, the respective literature provides relatively little detail on the theoretical consistency of the overall formal framework of the random utility based LUTI models. To address this gap, we present a detailed formal description of a generic land use and spatial interaction model that adheres to the random utility paradigm through the explicit distinction between utility and cost across all processes that imply behaviour of agents. The model is rooted in an extended input-output table, with the workforce and households accounts being disaggregated by socio-economic type. Similarly, the land account is broken down by domestic and non-domestic land use types. The model is developed around two processes. Firstly, the generation of demand for inputs required by established production; the estimation of the level of demand between sectors, households and land use types is supported by social accounting techniques. When appropriate the implicit production functions are assumed depended on costs of inputs, which gives rise to price-elastic demands. Secondly, the spatial assignment of demanded inputs (industrial activity, workforce, land) to locations of production; here sequences of decisions are used to distribute demand (both spatially and, when necessary, a-spatially) and to propagate costs and utilities of production and consumption that emerge from imbalances between supply and demand. The implementation of this generic model is discussed in relation to the case of the Greater South East region of the UK, including London, the South East and the East of England. We present the calibration process, data requirements, necessary assumptions and resulting implications. We discuss outputs under various land use strategies and economic scenarios, such as regulated versus competing land uses, constrained versus unconstrained densities, and high versus low economic and population growth rates. By adjusting the design constraints of the spatial planning and infrastructure supply strategies we aim to improve their sustainability. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1555&r=ure |
| By: | Dimitris Skuras; Kostas Tsekouras; Efthalia Dimara |
| Abstract: | The present work assess the effects of MAR and Jacob’s type agglomeration economies on a sample of firms in the machineries and textiles industries in Greece for the periods 1989-91 and 1999-01. The analysis employs a stochastic production frontier function and allows agglomeration economies to enter as inputs and/or as factors reducing inefficiency. Results re-confirm that the effects of agglomeration economies are industry specific. In our study, the machineries industry benefits from MAR type agglomeration economies and the textiles industry benefits from Jacob’s type agglomeration economies. Agglomeration economies may exercise a twin effect on firms’ productive efficiency. First, as in the case of the machineries industry in our study, MAR agglomeration economies may act as a new input and affect the kernel of the production frontier. Second, agglomeration economies may act as a factor reducing technical inefficiency with non-neutral effects with labour and capital as in the case of both the machineries and the textiles industries in our study. Finally, it is indicated that agglomeration economies establish a type of “path dependence†for firms. Firms that make significant use of agglomeration economies survive to the next period at higher percentages in comparison to other firms in the same industry. At the same time, entrants are favoured by MAR type agglomeration economies while incumbents are favoured by Jacob’s type agglomeration economies. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p696&r=ure |
| By: | Klaus Nowotny |
| Abstract: | Migrants are among the groups most vulnerable to economic fluctuations. As predicted by the 'welfare magnet' hypothesis, migrants can therefore be expected to--ceteris paribus--prefer countries with more generous welfare provisions to insure themselves against labor market risks. This paper analyzes the role of the welfare magnet hypothesis for migrants to the EU-15 at the regional level. The empirical analysis based on a random parameters logit model shows that the regional location decisions of migrants are mostly governed by income opportunities, labor market conditions, ethnic networks and a common language. There is no strong evidence for the welfare magnet hypothesis in the EU, but the empirical model shows that the design of the (income) tax system has a large and consistent effect on locational choice. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p133&r=ure |
| By: | Paulo Neto; Maria Manuel Serrano |
| Abstract: | Governance has become a central topic among policymakers. There is an international consensus that policymaking is evolving from a traditional top-down government approach towards a system of governing that focuses on engaging the citizens within an area (Cabus, 2003). New forms of governance targeting urban competitiveness are increasingly oriented to vertical (between lower and high levels of government and cooperation forms between entities and firms along the production chain) and horizontal (between firms or different municipalities or public and private entities) cooperation (OEDC, 2005). Urban renewal policies underwent significant changes in recent decades. Synthetically, the following periods can be distinguished: 1970s: “hard†urban renewal – extensive physical interventions; 1980s: “soft†urban renewal - efforts to keep the original population in place; 1990s: “integrated urban renewal†- combining physical, economic and social interventions (Tosics, 2010). And over the last few years there has been a gradual shift in the understanding of what should be the tools and objectives of urban regeneration policies, with a greater emphasis on process-related and ‘soft’ issues of stakeholder engagement, partnership formation, leadership development, ‘institutional capacity’ development, knowledge and learning (Magalhães, 2004). This shift in the understanding of urban regeneration processes accomplishes the growing importance in literature of concepts like urban governance, institutional relational density, creativity, social capital, city branding and place marketing. The main purpose of this paper is to propose a new methodology for territorial analysis and planning focused on urban regeneration processes and its governance mechanisms. A new methodology that seeks, for each specific urban context, contribute to the following results: 1) Help select the most appropriate governance model to be adopted for each process of urban regeneration, 2) Monitor the partnership process and help promote the partnership guidance; 3) Support the design process and the definition of the strategic approach and projects, 4) Monitor the process of implementing the strategy and support multidimensional and multiscale evaluation of its results; 5) Evaluate the socio-economic and territorial impacts of urban regeneration processes. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p517&r=ure |
| By: | Hans Koster; Jos van Ommeren; Piet Rietveld |
| Abstract: | This paper estimates a heterogeneous sorting model for firms, employing a semiparametric Poisson approach. We show that there is an equivalence relation between a locally weighted Logit and Poisson model. We apply our model to estimate firm-specific preferences of business services firms for location attributes such as diversity of economic activities and specialisation of business services. We correct for endogeneity of our specialisation measure by means of a control function approach, using instruments external as well as internal to the model. We find that business services firms have a relatively strong preference for specialised clusters of business services firms, conditional on density of economic activity. A standard deviation increase in business services specialisation of a location leads to a 40 percent increase in the probability that a business services firm locates there, supporting theories of Marshall, Arrow and Romer. Business services firms also have a preference to locate near a group of firms that belong to the same sector, not necessarily business services firms, so diversity is negatively related to location decisions. Interestingly, firms rely either on within-sector interactions (specialisation) or between-sector interactions (diversity). |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p750&r=ure |
| By: | Reuschke, Darja (University of St. Andrews); van Ham, Maarten (Delft University of Technology) |
| Abstract: | Based on the notion that entrepreneurship is a 'local event', the literature argues that self-employed workers and entrepreneurs are 'rooted' in place. This paper tests the 'residential rootedness'-hypothesis of self-employment by examining for Germany and the UK whether the self-employed are less likely to move or migrate than employees. Using longitudinal data from the German Socio-economic Panel Study (SOEP) and the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) and accounting for transitions in employment status we found little evidence that the self-employed in Germany and the UK are more rooted in place than employees. Firstly, the self-employed are not less likely to move or migrate over the period 2001–08. Secondly, those who are currently self-employed are also not more likely to have remained in the same place over a period of three years (2008–06 and 2005–03) as compared to those who are currently employed. Thirdly, those who are continuously self-employed are not less likely to have moved or migrated over a 3-period than those in continuous paid employment. Fourthly, in contrast to the prevalent 'residential rootedness'-hypothesis in economic geography and regional studies, we found that the entry into and the exit from self-employment are associated with internal migration. |
| Keywords: | self-employment, migration, residential mobility, rootedness hypothesis, UK, Germany |
| JEL: | J61 J62 L26 |
| Date: | 2011–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp6062&r=ure |
| By: | Chi, Wei; Xiaoye, Qian |
| Abstract: | Despite the “growth miracle” of recent decades, labor’s share, i.e., the share of total labor compensation in GDP, has decreased in China. Labor’s share is an important indicator of the primary distribution of national income, and its fall has drawn significant attention from researchers and policymakers. As China’s many regions have different development levels and economic structures, it is very likely that labor’s share will differ across regions. Thus, it is important to examine the regional disparity of labor’s share. Using Chinese provincial data from 1997 to 2007, we find a significant difference in labor’s share between eastern and western China. Then, we use spatial cross-sectional and panel models to show the significant effect of industrial composition and ownership structure on regional labor shares. |
| Keywords: | labor’s share; income distribution; regional disparity |
| JEL: | J24 R11 J30 |
| Date: | 2011–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:34522&r=ure |
| By: | Zeynep Gamze Mert; Gülşen Akman |
| Abstract: | The industry was determined to be “locomotive sector†in the planned development period starting in 1960 in Turkey and long-term targets have been set such as providing economic balance, realizing economic and social development. But after 1980’s, because of the fast industrialization and urbanization some environmental problems emerged in the Turkish cities. So, in industrial development, the Organized Industrial Zones implementations were started to discipline the industrial areas, contribute to planned development of the city and reduce the environmental effects of the industry. Kocaeli is the most industrialized city which is situated in the east and 90 km far from Istanbul in Turkey. Kocaeli has always been a center of attraction for industrial investments due to its position on the road, sea and railway networks connecting Europe to Anatolia and near the major cities as Bursa and Istanbul. Today, there are 13 Organized Industrial Zones in Kocaeli. But these 13 Organized Industrial Zones are not efficient and effective in the industrial development. A lot of industrial establishments have still located in the city. The aim of this study is to determine the profile of the 13 Organized Industrial Zones in Kocaeli by exploring and comparing their locations, sectors, capacities, services and infrastructures. This profile will be helpful to develop the displacement demands and preferences of the industrial establishments and the industrial sustainability in Kocaeli. Keywords: Industrial development, industrial sustainability, Organized Industrial Zones, Turkey, Kocaeli. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1137&r=ure |
| By: | Mirko Titze; Matthias Brachert; Hans-Ulrich Brautzsch |
| Abstract: | The paper explores the potential for inter-sectoral technology flows in industrial clusters in Germany. With the help of a product-embodied R&D flow matrix, calculated using data on input–output tables and sectoral R&D employment, we construct industrial cluster based networks of technology provider and user relationships and examine the regional embeddedness of different sectors in the technological diffusion network of industrial clusters. As a result, the paper shows that simple graphical representations of relevant product-embodied R&D flows illustrate substantial differences in potentials for technological relations within industrial clusters. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p660&r=ure |
| By: | Michael Wyrwich |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates regional sources of entrepreneurial opportunities of knowledge-intensive start-up activity. Thereby it is investigated whether it makes a difference if the knowledge-intensive sector is a newly emerging industry compared to the case where its location across space could develop already over a long period of time. The analysis is on knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) in East and West Germany in the 1990s. At the time of German re-unification in 1990s in the former socialist East Germany no KIBS sector existed in contrast to West Germany. The findings indicate that being new to the region makes a difference. Note: My other choice was to submit this paper for an R-Session. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1711&r=ure |
| By: | Melis Oguz; Evren Tok |
| Abstract: | This study focuses on the hegemonic ascendancy of neoliberalism encountering contestations and social unrest in Istanbul (Turkey).Through the case of Sulukule (Istanbul), our aim is to illustrate how gentrification as a neoliberal instrument utilized by a conservative/Islamist local government intervene the urban space not only for economic purposes but also culturally. This study analyzes this process, which went through in Sulukule, a former low-income neighborhood, mainly inhabited by a Gypsy community, sustaining livelihoods through a historically created entertainment culture, which was not welcomed by the conservative political cadres. This study turns the attention to the dynamics generated at the interstices of economy, politics and society, and delivers a tale of resistance and contestation to the uneasy marriage between conservative Islamism and neoliberalism. The concept of gentrification/re-generation is very much employed and referred to the diffusion of neoliberal urban policies in the context of neighborhoods as it is also put forth in this study. The case of Sulukule is a representative case in the Turkish context, especially when the urban and metropolitan transformation of Istanbul is taken into account. The way neighborhoods transform and serve the interests of the market and the capital is similar to the historical functioning of capitalism. Thus, the globalization of gentrification arguments made in the literature should not surprise us given that it is a neoliberal strategy to extract value whenever and wherever possible, in the form of gentrification aiming to revalorize usually decayed spaces or slum areas. In general, what we gather from the literature on gentrification is seen as a quick solution, or in Slater's terms as a savior for cities, its content has been depoliticized, and proposed as a key strategy to approach complex urban problems. They are complex because they are creating both winners and losers, and the irony is that nobody is really keeping track of what is happening to communities who are dislocated because of disruptions through investment in their area. While gentrifiers are shown as the primary actor of this process, the “gentrified†(both the community and the physical space) constitute the other half. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p201&r=ure |
| By: | Sylvain Barde |
| Abstract: | The maximum entropy methodology is applied to the Schelling model of urban segregation in order to obtain a reliable prediction of the stable configuration of the system without resorting to numerical simulations. We show that this approach also provides an implicit equation describing the distribution of agents over a city which allows for directly assessing the effect of model parameters on the solution. Finally, we discuss the information theoretic motivation for applying this methodology to the Schelling model, and show that it effectively rests on the presence of a potential function, suggesting a broader applicability of the methodology. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p862&r=ure |
| By: | Ana Gomez Loscos; M. Dolores Gadea; Antonio Montañes |
| Abstract: | This paper sets out a comprehensive framework to identify regional business cycles within Spain and analyses their stylised features and the degree of synchronization present among them and the Spanish economy. We show that the regional cycles are quite heterogeneous although they display some degree of synchronization that can be partially explained using macroeconomic variables. We also propose a dynamic factor model to cluster the regional comovements and Önd out if the country cycle is simply the aggregation of the regional ones. We Önd that the Spanish business cycle is not shared by the seventeen regions, but is the sum of the di§erent regional behaviours. The implications derived from our results are useful both for policy makers and analysts. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p99&r=ure |
| By: | Maria Abreu; Alessandra Faggian; Philip McCann |
| Abstract: | Career progression is often associated with migration and/or industry change, but the relationship between the two, and their effect on the earnings and career satisfaction of recent graduates are not well understood. We analyse the relationship between migration and inter-industry mobility using longitudinal microdata on 5,000 recent UK graduates who finished their studies in 2002/03, and who were surveyed 6 months and 3 ½ years after graduation. We define migration as a move of more than 15 km from the location of employment, and analyse the effects of a locational move in conjuction, or in the absence of, a change in industry. We allow for the possibility of selection bias, whereby unobservable characteristics may lead graduates to both change their location and/or industry, and earn a higher or lower salary, by estimating a treatment effects model with multinomial choice. Our results indicate that the effect on both earnings and career satisfaction of a change in location is positive, and there is a strong negative effect associated with changing both location and industry. The results also show that the subject of study is an important determinant of both migration choice and career outcomes for UK graduates. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p118&r=ure |
| By: | Arjen Edzes; Marije Hamersma; Jouke Van Dijk |
| Abstract: | This paper deals with the question of regional variation in two transitions that low educated can make. The first transition is the choice between learning through versus not learning and entering the labour market. Second, if they enter the labour market, the question is whether there is a regional difference in outcomes in terms of earned wages. Several explanatory regional circumstances are considered like urbanization and regional economic growth. The questions are analyzed using data of a schoolleaverssurvey in the period of 1996-2008 in the Netherlands. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1067&r=ure |
| By: | Tamás Dusek; Miklós Lukovics; Patrick Bohl |
| Abstract: | Airports have an unquestionably dominant role in the transport of the 21st century; air transport is the heart of the modern, globalised economy. Beyond this primary function, the international literature also emphasises the considerable economic and economy development effects of airports. The significant airports of the world not only facilitate the local economy but fundamentally determine that. The aim of the analysis is not only the study of the economic impact of the Budapest Ferihegy International Airport, but also examining the economic impact of the complex system of the companies operating at the airport and complementing each other. First of all, we discuss the methods and concepts to be applied in the analysis of the economic impact of the Budapest Airport. Although the methods and the terminology is fairly uniform in the course of the general review studies, the actual pieces of research can mean something different by the same concepts or they may examine the same thing with different concepts. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1228&r=ure |
| By: | Elisabetta Troglio; Tigran Haas; Matteo Doni |
| Abstract: | Nowadays, large parts of the world population (50-60%) are living in urban areas, which represent the most energy consuming systems (Buckley et al., 2009). Local governments are therefore asked to take new responsibilities in terms of energy management, adopting the urban scale as level of action, developing new methods and strategies to bring energy sustainability (saving/producing) and environmental quality into the cities. The development of a new energetic and environmental planning approach that can set energy as primary key – leading to a high level of urban efficiency and having a broad effect on other urban areas – is hence highly important. Different studies have pointed out the fundamental energetic role of urban morphology and typology (Ratti et al., 2004). Recognizing the key role of planning and design, and the contribution of modeling, some questions are arising: is it possible to analyze the performances of the built environment in a georeferenced way, considering the effect of urban design/form aspects, in order to achieve a better knowledge of those city characteristics that influence energy demand? Which is the role played by typologies in (re)orienting the energy analyses/model? Which targets can be achieved in reducing cost and energy? The project explore different factors involved in the energy performance of the city, in particular using an innovative evaluation model of heat energy demand, which has urban typologies as starting and key point of the analyses. A dynamic and georeferenced method has been specifically developed, allowing the estimation of the energy behavior of the “real†city. The empirical study is applied at the City of Gorgonzola - Italy, which holds potential both for the dimension of the built environment and the variety of urban typologies, which allow a comparison between them. Purpose of the paper is thus to analyze the results coming from the estimation, that can lead to a strong integration between energy, urban design and planning system. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1362&r=ure |
| By: | Marta Foddi; Raffaele Paci; Alessandra Colombelli |
| Abstract: | Since the Lisbon agenda in 2000, Europe stated the goal to become the most advanced knowledge economy in the world relying specifically on the increase and strengthen of its human capital and technological endowments. However, given the presence of localized externalities in the knowledge accumulation process, this policy may produce distortive and unwanted consequences at the territorial level reinforcing the existing high inequalities among regions. Another crucial feature to be considered is the recent enlargement process of the European Union which has brought on stage new players characterized by a low average level of knowledge activity accompanied by a huge degree of internal territorial disparity. The aim of this paper is to identify the “knowledge regions†in Europe and to examine their main territorial features. To this aim we first build, for 287 regions belonging to 31 European countries, a comprehensive picture of the two variables - human capital and technological activity - which constitute the main pillars of the knowledge economy. For each of these two variables we construct several indicators examining their spatial distribution across the European regions. Further, we compute two synthetic indicators for human capital and technology and, on the basis of these two dimensions, we finally identify the knowledge regions. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1140&r=ure |
| By: | Maria Hierro |
| Abstract: | This paper explores the Spain’s international migration distribution (SIMD) for the 1998-2009 period. Beyond a general depiction of the distribution, the study pays special attention to the role played by space and, particularly, to the possibility of geographical contagion effects. For this latter, and using a spatial Markov chain approach, two new measures of positive and negative contagion are proposed. The results do identify space as key determinant of the SIMD. Furthermore, results reveal that there are contagion effects, positive contagion among provinces surrounded by high-immigration provinces being the most significant. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p428&r=ure |
| By: | Heers, M.; Van Klaveren, C.; Groot, W. and Maassen van den Brink, H. |
| Abstract: | Community schools are quickly increasing in number, but there is no evidence whether they are more effective than traditional schools. No study has empirically compared community schools to other schools. This study reviews the literature on the effectiveness of community schools. We focus on their three main components: cooperation with external organizations, parental involvement, and extracurricular activities. This review indicates that involving external organizations seems valuable in terms of social cohesion in neighborhoods. Parental involvement is particularly important for the educational development of lower socio-economic status families. Extracurricular activities positively relate to students? development in academic and social terms. |
| Date: | 2011 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tir:wpaper:41&r=ure |
| By: | Raimonds Aronietis; Jedrzej Gadzinski; Anna Golêdzinowska; Tom Pauwels; Thierry Vanelslander; Rafal Wasil |
| Abstract: | The study takes a comparative approach by investigating the situation in the hinterlands of two different port areas in Europe: Antwerp (Belgium) and Gdansk-Sopot-Gdynia agglomeration (Poland). Both port centres have an important road hinterland connection that faces competition from other alternative modes of freight transport. However, the Port of Antwerp is already one of the leading ports of the continent while the ports of Gdansk and Gdynia are at the stage of building their competitive position. Also the importance of inland waterways in the transport systems in these countries is different – Belgium has a functioning network of waterways while Poland still has to develop it. The Belgian case is the E313 motorway, which makes the connection between Antwerp and Liège and further on also Germany. The motorway has competition from both rail and inland waterways, especially in dealing with port-bound traffic. The Albert Canal, which runs mainly in parallel with the motorway, is currently being subject to capacity expansion through the extension and elevation of a number bridges that cross the canal. Rail could specifically benefit from the potential re-activation of the Iron Rhine - an almost parallel connection to the motorway E313 between Antwerp and the German Ruhr area. The Polish case is focused on possible scenarios of freight traffic between Baltic port centre of Gdansk and Gdynia with important international harbour and fast developing regional centre - Bydgoszcz-Torun. At present the main connections between those urban areas are the state road 1, section of motorway A1 and railway CE-65. Gdansk, Torun and Bydgoszcz are also linked with Vistula river (part of international inland waterways E-40 and E-70) but so far it is not used extensively. The cases are analyzed separately. The added value of the paper is the comparative analysis which allows making conclusions that are valid for both environments. The results are of high relevance to policy makers in charge of alleviating port hinterland problems, and also to ports in the current highly competitive environment. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p602&r=ure |
| By: | Ferreira, Francisco H. G.; Gignoux, Jeremie |
| Abstract: | This paper proposes two related measures of educational inequality: one for educational achievement and another for educational opportunity. The former is the simple variance (or standard deviation) of test scores. Its selection is informed by consideration of two measurement issues that have typically been overlooked in the literature: the implications of the standardization of test scores for inequality indices, and the possible sample selection biases arising from the Program of International Student Assessment (PISA) sampling frame. The measure of inequality of educational opportunity is given by the share of the variance in test scores that is explained by pre-determined circumstances. Both measures are computed for the 57 countries in which PISA surveys were conducted in 2006. Inequality of opportunity accounts for up to 35 percent of all disparities in educational achievement. It is greater in (most of) continental Europe and Latin America than in Asia, Scandinavia, and North America. It is uncorrelated with average educational achievement and only weakly negatively correlated with per capita gross domestic product. It correlates negatively with the share of spending in primary schooling, and positively with tracking in secondary schools. |
| Keywords: | Teaching and Learning,Secondary Education,Education For All,Poverty Impact Evaluation,Tertiary Education |
| Date: | 2011–11–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:5873&r=ure |
| By: | Sofia Wixe |
| Abstract: | Increased productivity is one of the main drivers of economic growth. Considering the increasing importance of the service sector in many economies studies of productivity in service firms are essential, but still rare. Questions concerning the underlying reasons for productivity differences in service firms are therefore important. Why is the productivity in certain firms higher than in others and what are the possibilities for less-productive firms to increase their productivity levels? This paper aims to examine these issues with a particular focus on the importance of externalities. Externalities are defined as region-specific economic effects influencing firm efficiency. These externalities can be broadly divided in the following categories: i) urbanization economies which relate to diversity and density (Jacobs externalities), ii) localization economies which concern specialization and concentration (MAR externalities), iii) competition (Porter externalities), and iv) labor market externalities. The purpose of the paper is to explain the productivity levels of Swedish service firms using measures of these externalities. However, also firm specific characteristics, including characteristics of the workforce, are included. These are used both as control variables and to capture potential spillover effects that indirectly affect productivity through the employees. The characteristics of the workforce are essential to include since the employees have the potential to affect the way different firms absorb and use possible spillover effects. They are therefore a crucial component to channel externalities to the firm as a whole. This is the case especially for service firms since these are generally very labor intensive. The results of this study should be of interest to policy makers since they have the possibility to make decisions that contribute to more productive regional environments. This is also of interest to company leaders since they have the possibility to decide where to locate and how to structure their firms in order to take advantage of productivity enhancing externalities. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p754&r=ure |