A model of economic geography with demand pull and congestion costs

This paper proposes a simple model of economic geography in which to derive analytical results when jointly considering two centrifugal forces —congestion costs together with the pull demand effect— within the Dixit-Stiglitz-Iceberg framework. In this vein, we develop a unified model with labor mobility that combines some of the features of Tabuchi (1998) with those of Forslid and Ottaviano (2003). We analytically show that when considering the effects of congestion costs, dispersion of economic activity is possible not only at high but also at low transport costs. This result corroborates previous numerical simulations conducted by Tabuchi (1998).Congestion costs, demand pull, urban concentration, transport costs.

A Reflection On The Effects Of Transport Costs Within The New Economic Geography

The purpose of this paper is to analyze, in the light of recent contributions of New Economic Geography models, the spatial consequences of transport cost reductions. So far, the role of transport costs have been only partially unveiled, since papers focused either on the Dixit-Stiglitz-Iceberg framework or on the alternative framework put forth by Ottaviano et al. (2002)—which departs from the former in preferences and transport modelling. This paper goes a step further, offering a comprehensive view that includes the two approaches, in contexts both of two and of more than two locations. As opposed to other revisions of the literature, which have focused mainly on the centripetal forces included in these models, we emphasize the role of dispersion forces. The study suggests that in a two-location setting the results seem quite robust against changes in transportation modelling, so that considering either multiplicative transport costs or additive the predictions are identical. However, when allowing for a multilocation setup, the analysis becomes more complex.agglomeration, dispersion, monopolistic competition, transport costs.

Spatial distribution of production and international trade.

In this paper we have developed a monopolistic competition model that explains the sizes and locations of cities as a consequence of centrifugal and centripetal forces. Our interest is to present a framework that allows us to study the principal causes that favor agglomeration and those which stop it in current societies, where farmers are not a large proportion of the total population and where international relationships substantially affect the inner structure of a country.Monopolistic competition; Congestion costs; Location; Diversity of goods;

Spatial distribution of production and international trade

In this paper we have developed a monopolistic competition model that explains the sizes and locations of cities as a consequence of centrifugal and centripetal forces. Our interest is to present a framework that allows us to study the principal causes that favor agglomeration and those which stop it in current societies, where farmers are not a large proportion of the total population and where international relationships substantially affect the inner structure of a country

Rankings of Income Distributions: A Note on Intermediate Inequality Indices

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of several intermediate inequality measures, paying special attention to whether inequality rankings between income distributions are affected by the monetary units in which incomes are expressed.Income distribution; Intermediate inequality indices; Unit-consistency.

Occupational segregation measures: A role for status

This paper extends recent local segregation measures by incorporating status differences across occupations. These new measures are intended to be used to assess, from a normative point of view, the segregation of a target group. They seem appropriate to complement, rather than substitute, other measures by quantifying how things change when taking into account the status of occupations. The usefulness of these tools is shown in the case of occupational segregation of immigrants and natives in Spain.Segregation measures, occupations, status.

Occupational and industrial segregation of female and male workers in Spain: An alternative approach

This paper aims to analyze occupational and industrial segregation in the Spanish labor market by using the alternative tools proposed by Alonso-Villar and Del Río (2007), along with some new extensions put forward here. In particular, two decompositions of their segregation curves are proposed. The approach followed in this article allows measuring segregation of women and men separately, since the distribution of each group of workers across occupations and industries is compared with the distribution of total employment. To analyze industrial segregation, an aggregated classification of industries in four large groups (agriculture-fishing, industry, construction and services) and another by branches of activity are considered while to study occupational segregation, several partitions of individuals and of occupations are included.Occupational and industrial segregation; Segregation curves; Gender

Occupational segregation of immigrant women in Spain

The aim of this paper is to analyze occupational segregation in the Spanish labor market from a gender and an immigration perspective. In doing so, several local and overall segregation measures are used. Our results suggest that immigrant women in Spain suffer a double segregation since segregation affects them to a greater extent than it does either native women or immigrant men. There are, however, remarkable discrepancies among the segregation of immigrant women depending on their region of origin. Thus, immigrant women from the European Union (EU) have the lowest occupational segregation, while segregation seems particularly intense in the group of women from European countries outside the EU bloc and Asia (the levels of which are higher than that of Latin American and African women).immigration; gender; occupational segregation; local segregation; overall segregation

The geographical concentration of unemployment: A male-female comparison in Spain

This paper aims at complementing the approach presented by Johnston et al. (2003) with tools from the literature on economic geography and income distribution in order to perform a thorough analysis of the spatial concentration of unemployment. Apart from using such empirical procedures in the field of labour economy, the paper shows the complementarities that both approaches have when trying to look into distributive issues from a spatial perspective. For that purpose, the paper analyses the spatial distribution of unemployment in Spain, with a thorough analysis of the differences between male and female patterns.unemployment; spatial concentration; municipalities.

An alternative proposal for measuring occupational segregation

This paper offers a general framework in which to study the occupational segregation of a target group when involving a categorization of individuals in two or more groups. For this purpose, it proposes to compare the distribution of the target group against the distribution of total employment across occupations. In doing so, this paper first presents an axiomatic set-up within which segregation measures can be evaluated and defines an alternative segregation curve. Next, a class of additive segregation indexes, related to the generalized entropy family and consistent with the above curves, is characterized. Finally, decompositions of these measures by subgroups of occupations and by subgroups of individuals are proposed.Occupational segregation; Segregation curves; Inequality measures; Gender