Empirical analysis of spatial location of activity: a proposal of using spatial association statistics

Based on the initial paper of Krugman (1991), several works have analysed the consequences of the integration process on the activity location. In this sense, Puga (1996) and Puga and Venables (1996) among others, have derived an inverse U-shape relationship between integration and agglomeration. In order to check this hypothesis, it is habitual to compute some of the traditional concentration indexes. However, this kind of indexes considers each region as an isolated economy, discarding links with others. Taking into account these ideas, this paper proposes the use of some spatial association tests in order to shed light on the consequences of an integration process, overcoming the limitations shown by other indexes of concentration. First, we discuss, from a theoretical point of view, the utility of these spatial econometric tools to get the goal of the paper. So, we analyse the behaviour of the spatial correlograms (global spatial autocorrelation tests for different orders of contiguity) and the local spatial association tests for some theoretical spatial distributions of the product (even distribution, core- periphery scheme, monocentral distribution with and without hierarchical distribution around the centre, etc). Then, we derive different temporal evolutions both of these correlograms and the local statistics related to possible scenarios after the integration (more concentration, more random distribution, etc). Second, we apply this analysis to the European Union case. In this sense, we compare the evolution shown by the GDP pc among the European regions during the period 1975-1992 with the theoretical distributions defined in the first part of the paper in order to know the trend of the spatial distribution of the activity after the deepening in the integration process. Keywords: Spatial association test, spatial econometrics, integration process

Is the influence of quality of life on urban growth non-stationary in space? A case study of Barcelona

There are several determinants that influence household location decisions. More concretely, recent economic literature assigns an increasingly important role to the variables governing quality of life. Nevertheless, the spatial stationarity of the parameters is implicitly assumed in most studies. Here we analyse the role of quality of life in urban economics and test for the spatial stationarity of the relationship between city growth and quality of life.quality of life, urban economics, geographically weighted regressions

Has concentration evolved similarly in manufacturing and services? A sensitivity analysis.

Our first objective is to compare the degree of concentration in manufacturing and services, with special emphasis on its evolution in these two sectors, using a sensitivity analysis for different concentration indices and different geographic units of analysis: municipalities and local labour systems of Catalonia in 1991 and 2001. Most concentration measures fail to consider the space in which a particular municipality is located. Our second objective is to overcome this problem by applying two different techniques: by using a clustering measure, and by analysing whether the location quotients computed for each municipality and sector present some kind of spatial autocorrelation process. We take special account of the differences in patterns of concentration according to the technological level of the sectors.Geographic concentration, Manufacturing, Services, Local Labour Systems, Spatial Econometrics.

Concentration of the Economic Activity: Comparing Methodologies and Geographic Units

Despite the important role of the service sector in the economic activity, the majority of the studies, both at international and at the Spanish level, have focused their attention in determining the degree of concentration of the manufacture sector. The main purpose in this article is to analyze the concentration and the location pattern both of the manufacturing and the service sectors in Catalonia using different methodologies proposed in the economic literature, such as the Ellison&Glaeser index (1997) or the methodology used by O’Donoghue and Gleave (2004), among others. The calculation of the different indices using the municipalities of Catalonia as the geographic unit of the analysis allows us to make a comparison of the results between indices, and also to compare the location pattern and the degree of concentration of the manufacturing and service sectors. Moreover, the results that we obtain for Catalonia are compared with those obtained for other economies (United States, United Kingdom, France, Sweden, etc.). In a second step, we re-calculate these indices using as the geographic unit the local labour systems of Catalonia instead of the municipalities. The election of these two kind of geographic units is motivated thanks to the ongoing debate about what is the ideal geographic unit when analyzing the concentration of economic activity (Duranton and Overman (2006, forthcoming) and Marcon and Puech (2003), at the international level and Viladecans (2004), at the Spanish level). Using local labour systems will overcome the problem of working with geographic units based on administrative borders, like municipalities, that are not based in real economic areas. The calculation of these indices for the two kind of geographic units allows us to compare the results for the two areas. Once we have calculated these indices, we use the techniques of the Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis in order to study the geographic distribution of the concentration of the economic activity. Finally, in order to perform a more in-depth analysis of the relationships among different sectors, we use the Porter (2003) methodology to define clusters of activity.

Regional economic dynamics and convergence in the european union

Deepening in the European Union (EU) integration process has enhanced the question of economic disparities at a regional level. The convergence process observed until the late seventies was exhausted onwards in coincidence with important changes in the economic activity. The paper shows how these factors would have provoked a regional differenciated response that, despite being important, would have not strengthened the decrease in regional inequalities. We use an alternative and (in our opinion) richer approach to the traditional convergence analysis, where the evolution of the whole regional distribution is what matters and not that of a representative economy. Moreover, when analysing inequalities among regional economies, the geographical space acquire an outstanding role. Hence, we apply spatial association tests and relate them to the convergence analysis.convergence, distribution dynamics, eu regions

El realismo crítico-social ruso: la sociedad de exposiciones ambulantes

LA SOCIEDAD DE EXPOSICIONES AMBULANTES SE FORMA EN MOSCU EN 1870, COMPUESTA POR LOS ARTISTAS QUE HABIAN RECHAZADO, POR RAZONES IDEOLOGICAS Y ESTETICAS, LAS DIRECTRICES IMPUESTAS POR LA ACADEMIA DE BELLAS ARTES DE SAN PETERSBURGO. EL IDEARIO DEL GRUPO AMBULANTE SE FUDAMENTA, SOBRE TODO, EN ASPECTOS SOCIOLOGICOS Y, POR TANTO, MAS EXTRARTISTICOS QUE ESTETICOS; POSTURA QUE SERA RETOMADA, EN LO FUNDAMENTAL, POR EL REALISMO SOCIALISTA. RECONSTRUIREMOS LA HISTORIA DEL GRUPO A TRAVES DE LA PINTURA DE GENERO Y EL PAISAJE, EVOLUCIONANDO HACIA PLANTEAMIENTOS ESTETICOS DE CARIZ INTERNACIONALISTA EN LA DECADA DE 1890

Influence of Quality of Life on Urban Growth: A Case Study of Barcelona, Spain

Royuela V., Moreno R. and Vaya E. Influence of quality-of-life on urban growth: a case study of Barcelona, Spain, Regional Studies. There are several determinants that influence household location decisions. More concretely, the recent economic literature assigns an increasingly important role to the variables governing quality-of-life. Nevertheless, the spatial stationarity of the parameters is implicitly assumed in most studies. The paper analyses the role of quality-of-life in urban economics and tests for the spatial stationarity of the relationship between city growth and quality-of-life. [image omitted] Royuela V., Moreno R. et Vaya E. L'impact de la qualite de la vie sur la croissance urbaine, Regional Studies. Nombreuses sont les determinants du choix d'emplacement des menages. Essentiellement, la documentation economique recente accorde un role de plus en plus important aux variables qui determinent la qualite de la vie. Neanmoins, la plupart des etudes supposent implicitement une geographie stationnaire des parametres. On cherche a analyser le role de la qualite de la vie dans l'economie urbaine et on fait des analyses pour deceler la geographie stationnaire du rapport entre la croissance urbaine et la qualite de la vie. Qualite de la vie Economie urbaine Croissance urbaine Regressions geographiques ponderees Royuela V., Moreno R. und Vaya E. Der Einfluss der Lebensqualitat auf das Wachstum von Stadten. Eine Fallstudie von Barcelona, Regional Studies. Die Entscheidung fur den Standort von Haushalten wird von mehreren Determinanten beeinflusst. Insbesondere wird in der aktuellen Wirtschaftsliteratur den fur die Lebensqualitat ausschlaggebenden Variablen ein zunehmend hoher Stellenwert eingeraumt. Allerdings wird in den meisten Studien fur diese Parameter implizit eine raumliche Unveranderlichkeit angenommen. In diesem Beitrag analysieren wir die Rolle der Lebensqualitat in der Okonomie von Stadten und uberprufen die raumliche Unveranderlichkeit der Beziehung zwischen Stadtwachstum und Lebensqualitat. Lebensqualitat Okonomie von Stadten Stadtwachstum Geografisch gewichtete Regressionen Royuela V., Moreno R. y Vaya E. La influencia de la calidad de vida en el crecimiento urbano. Estudio del caso de Barcelona, Regional Studies. La decision de elegir el lugar de la vivienda depende de varios factores determinantes. En concreto, la reciente literatura economica asigna un papel cada vez mas importante a las variables que gobiernan la calidad de vida. Sin embargo, en la mayoria de estudios se supone implicitamente la estacionalidad espacial de los parametros. Aqui analizamos el papel de la calidad de vida en la economia urbana y comprobamos la estacionalidad espacial de la relacion entre el crecimiento de las ciudades y la calidad de vida. Calidad de vida Economia urbana Crecimiento de las ciudades Regresiones ponderadas geograficamenteQuality-of-life, Urban economics, City growth, Geographically weighted regressions,