Dynamics, space, and regional inequality in provincial China: a case study of Guangdong province

pre-printThis paper investigates the regional inequality in one of the most developed provinces in China, Guangdong, from 1979 to 2009 and follows the multi-scale and multi-mechanism framework. We have found a new round of intensifying inequality in Guangdong since the early 2000s, which is attributed to the widening gap between the core region of the Pearl River Delta (PRD) and the rest of the province (periphery) and between the urban and rural areas. The authors also apply a distribution dynamics approach and spatial Markov chains to identify the spatial-temporal dynamics of regional disparities in Guangdong. The results show that there has been a progressive bias towards a poverty trap in the province and the effect of self-reinforcing agglomeration is evident. Using a multilevel model, the study further unfolds that the regional inequality in Guangdong is sensitive to the core-periphery hierarchy of multi-mechanisms and reveals the relative influence of decentralization, marketization and globalization. We argue that the policies towards inequality-reducing in Guangdong have been constrained by the geographical barriers and the effect of self-reinforcing agglomeration in the PRD, while marketization has potential to mediate the uneven development driven by the spatial concentration of foreign investment

Multi-scale regional inequality in Guangdong, China

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Urban Road Safety and Crash Severity during the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of Seattle

#69A3551747110Teleworking and lockdown measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in reduced traffic flows and fewer cars at risk of collision on roads. The present study presents an analysis of the pandemic\u2019s impact on traffic safety and crash severity in the city of Seattle, WA. We found increased shares of speeding-related, angle-, and head-on collisions and relatively more collisions occurring during off-peak hours. Results of quasi-difference-in-differences modeling further suggest that collisions occurring during the pandemic have had a higher probability of being fatal or resulting in severe injuries, compared to what would be expected in the absence of the pandemic

A Land-Based and Spatial Assessment of Local Food Capacity in Northern Idaho, USA

Across the United States, there has been a growing interest in local food production, which provides an alternative way to increase self-sufficiency and support greater well-being and food security at the community level. This study focused on the Northern Panhandle region of Idaho, where opportunities derived from the local food movement have emerged in several resort and college towns. This research integrated spatial analysis and modeling in a geographic information system (GIS) environment and a linear-programming (LP) optimization approach to identify, quantify, and map these potential opportunities. The obtained results show that existing local food producers are located in the urban fringe and on productive cropland. The foodshed model further suggests that Northern Idaho has enough farmland to feed its whole population within an average distance of 49 km or 31 miles. An alternative land use scenario was explored that involves removing marginal cropland with high soil erodibility from commodity cropping to improve the ecological benefits of local food production. The results of the study, including nuanced evidence of growing demand for local-food products, the existence of enough cropland capacity to meet demand, and potential environmental benefits, are quite encouraging to local food advocates in Northern Idaho and other areas and demonstrate the utility of land-based foodshed analysis

Industrial cluster of Taiwanese electronics firms in Dongguan, China

abstractpublished_or_final_versionGeographyMasterMaster of Philosoph

TNCs’ technology linkages with domestic firms: an investigation

Abstract. On the basis of a comprehensive survey in the information and communication technology industry in China's Suzhou municipality, we examine the determinants of the technology linkages that transnational corporations (TNCs) make with domestic firms. We found that TNCs' domestic supply and client linkages and their decentralization of decision making had a significant and positive effect on technological interactions between domestic firms and TNCs. However, such linkages were constrained by the technology gap between TNCs and domestic firms and they are focused on new product developments for the domestic Chinese market. The results highlight the challenges that domestic Chinese firms face in establishing 'global pipelines' of knowledge exchange. The implications of the findings on technology and foreign direct investment policies in China are also assessed, and we argue that China has potential to pave a new way of technology development by taking advantage of its indigenous capacity and sizable domestic market