Web Book of Regional Science

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  Regional Impact Models

  William A. Schaffer

  This survey of regional input-output models and their use in impact analysis evolved from over twenty years of experience in constructing regional economic models and in teaching about them. Its objectives are to present this family of models in an easily understood format, to show that the models we use in economics are well-structured, and to provide a basis for understanding applications of these models in impact analysis. The models are presented in such a way that understanding the logic and algebra of the simplest economic-base model leads to an understanding of the only slightly more complex regional and interregional input-output models in common use today. The advanced models become matrix-algebra extensions of the simple models.

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  Computable General Equilibrium Modeling for Regional Analysis

  Eliécer E. Vargas, Dean F. Schreiner, Gelson Tembo, and David W. Marcouiller

  Partial equilibrium analysis illustrates results for one market at a time. However, there often exist market interactions and thus market feedbacks. Pricing outcomes in one market usually have effects in other markets, and these effects, in turn, create ripples throughout the economy, perhaps even to the extent of affecting the price-quantity equilibrium in the original market. To represent this complex set of economic relationships, it is necessary to go beyond partial equilibrium analysis and construct a model that permits viewing many markets simultaneously. This Web Book provides an introduction to and overview of the general equilibrium modeling framework in the context of regional analysis.

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  Industrial Location

  Michael J. Webber

  In this book, Professor Michael Webber analyzes the strategy and pattern of the location of industrial production. After reviewing data sources and the history of manufacturing, Professor Webber discusses the principles that govern the location decisions of firms. It should be of particular interest to students of public policy analysis to read Webber’s arguments supporting the contention that industrial location incentives and tax policies have not been significant long-term factors of industrial location; rather, Professor Webber demonstrates that as transport costs have fallen, the main location factors have become labor and agglomeration. In turn, both labor and agglomeration are themselves dependent upon the general economic, political, and social system. Webber uses numerous data illustrations to support the theoretical arguments in this book. He concludes with three examples that illustrate his industrial location analysis: (l) the aircraft parts industry in New England; (2) the industrial decline in the United Kingdom; and (3) the location pattern of manufacturing within cities. The stress that Professor Webber places on the historical context of decisions and on the social production of labor and agglomeration characteristics are novel issues for an introductory treatment of location theory. -Grant Ian Thrall, SCIENTIFIC GEOGRAPHY SERIES Webber, Michael J. Industrial Location. Web Book of Regional Science. Regional Research Institute, West Virginia University. Edited by Grant Ian Thrall, 1985; Randall Jackson, 2020.

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  Spatial Transportation Modeling

  Christian Werner

  Transportation modeling is both one of the valuable job skills offered by scientific geography and a topic that can serve to develop analytic intuition. This book is designed for the student receiving a first exposure to the transportation problem as well as an introduction to the formal modeling of geographic phenomena. Transportation modeling is a good and particularly useful example of the sharing of paradigms and methodologies between scientific geography and other sciences. Professor Christian Werner’s geographical approach should be of particular interest to students and followers of the literature not only in human geography but also in operations research, transportation engineering, urban and regional economics, regional science, city and regional planning, and management science. SCIENTIFIC GEOGRAPHY SERIES, Grant Ian Thrall, editor.

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  Site Planning and Design

  Steven B. McBride

  This Web Book discusses land use issues, the design and planning process, design implementation, and environmental implications of planning and design. The major focus of this material is on site- or project-level site planning and design issues. It reviews the traditional planning and design process, including research and analysis, design development, and implementation. Principles of site planning and design are richly illustrated with appropriate graphics that clearly demonstrate the considerations and interrelationships that are required to bring a physical land use development from concept to reality.