Regional Studies

Barker, David

doi: 10.1080/09595237800185011pmid: N/A

Barker D. (1978) A conceptual approach to the description and analysis of an historical urban system, Reg. Studies 12, 1–10. A set-theoretic approach to modelling urban systems at a particular point in time is outlined and applied to nineteenth century Somerset. The multivariate supply of retail and service facilities, i.e. the output of the system, is shown to be ordered, and is used to classify centres, using a non-hierarchic grouping technique. The hierarchic structure of the resultant taxonomy is verified using unidimensional scaling methods. The approach can be applied to crude binary data records of the presence or absence of supply facilities and can be spatially and temporally replicated whenever similar data is available.

Andrews, Howard F.

doi: 10.1080/09595237800185021pmid: N/A

Andrews H. F. (1978) Journey to work considerations in the labour force participation of married women, Reg. Studies. 12, 11–20. Both working and non-working married female respondents were asked questions to gauge sensitivities to remaining in, withdrawing from or entering the labour force as a result of increasing journey to work times and costs. Similar indications of labour supply elasticity are found for both full-time and part-time workers, though considerable interregional variation exists. Associations between elasticity of supply, level of earnings, husband's attitudes and wive's contribution to total household income are also found. Presented with fixed and hypothetical levels of earnings, acceptable journey to work times vary similarly for both current workers and latent workers, though the supply elasticities for those currently working are somewhat higher.

Wilson, P.J.

doi: 10.1080/09595237800185031pmid: N/A

Wilson P. J. (1978) Bargaining power and location as factors in the determination of site values, Reg. Studies 12, 21–47. The Alonso model of rent determination primarily provides a benchmark—a perfect state so to speak—against which deviations in a land value pattern may be compared. The literature to date has been largely concerned with those spatial features of an environment which may lead to a deviation from an ‘ideal’ pattern. The present paper adopts a different approach to the analysis of land value determination in that it considers a deviation from the ‘perfect’ market system implied by Alonso. This deviation is presented in terms of differing bargaining power between buyer and seller (tenant and landlord). The available data support the hypotheses advanced.

Drudy, P.J.

doi: 10.1080/09595237800185041pmid: 12337022

Drudy P. J. (1978) Depopulation in a prosperous agricultural sub-region, Reg. Studies 12, 49–60. It is little known that the phenomenon of depopulation is not confined to the marginal argricultural regions of Britain but is present in prosperous regions also. This paper examines the extent of depopulation in one such prosperous sub-region, North Norfolk in eastern England. The process is shown to have accelerated during the most recent decade. Among the contributory factors are the agricultural adjustments which have caused a high rate of redundancy and the lack of employment alternative to agriculture. It appears that the theory of ‘cumulative causation’ may have special relevance towards explaining the phenomenon.

Taylor, P.J.; Johnston, R.J.

doi: 10.1080/09595237800185051pmid: 12337023

Taylor P. J. and Johnston R. J. (1978) Population distributions and political power in the European Parliament, Reg. Studies 12, 61–68. Design of the new European Parliament involves problems of allocating numbers of representatives to countries. Analysis of the current proposals for the Parliament shows a far from equitable distribution of votes relative to population; an alternative, more equitable allocation is put forward. The distribution of votes may not be the same as the distribution of voting power. Analyses suggest that the largest countries in the EEC will be discriminated against in the Parliament in terms of their voting power there. Any distribution of votes is likely to produce some bias in the distribution of power, however; the equitable allocation of votes will produce the most inequitable distribution of power.

Rees, Teresa L.

doi: 10.1080/09595237800185061pmid: 12337024

Rees T. L. (1978) Population and industrial decline in the South Wales Coalfield. Reg. Studies 12, 69–77. The South Wales Coalfield has undergone major changes since the mid forties both in terms of its economic structure and population base. The decline of the two dominant industries, steel and coal has produced large scale unemployment. At the same time the area has experienced annual net migration losses in recent years. This paper attempts to give a picture of population and industrial decline in the South Wales Coalfield, examine government policies aimed at stemming unemployment and outmigration, and to report on findings of a behavioural study of migration to and from one South Wales valley between 1969 and 1975.

Commins, P.

doi: 10.1080/09595237800185071pmid: 12337025

Commins P. (1978) Socio-economic adjustments to rural depopulation, Reg. Studies 12, 79–94. A more determined approach by policy agencies to the problems of rural depopulation is advocated in this paper. The necessity for this is specified in terms of social equity considerations, the undesirable consequences of urban concentration, and the needs of rural communities arising from rationalisation programmes in agriculture. Additionally, a general review of rural population trends suggests that stabilisation had become increasingly feasible at least up until the recent economic recession. The demographic experiences of Ireland in substantially reversing century-old trends in regional depopulation indicate the need for caution against accepting the extreme population concentrations of older industrial societies as economically necessary or inevitable. Inter-relationships between agriculture, industrial, human resources, and social policies have to be recognised to a greater extent than hitherto at national or E.E.C. levels.

Stone, P.A.

doi: 10.1080/09595237800185081pmid: 12337026

Stone P. A. (1978) The implications for the conurbations of population changes, Reg. Studies 12, 95–123. This paper examines the change of population levels in the conurbations and the regions, and indicates how the conurbations are in decline while other areas have growing populations. The reason for such changes and the consequences for the conurbations are examined through an examination of changes in London. This considers comparative environmental conditions, government regional and congestion policies, and changes in the industrial economy, and the consequences for employment, earnings and incomes. Action to counter the current decline of the conurbations is considered with reference to the problems for finance and for government policy for regional and new term development.

Blackbourn, A.

doi: 10.1080/09595237800185091pmid: N/A

doi: 10.1080/09595237800185101pmid: N/A