1978 DOE SPS Economic Demographic Issues

importation of foods from greater distances. The agglomerative and deglom- erative forces operate independently of geographical position. Isard concluded that of the three groups, only transport costs, which are functionally related to distance, impart regularity to the spatial pattern of economic activities. Substitution analysis among various transport inputs provides an understanding of the geographic pattern of production and the impact of the friction of distance.1 Preliminary SPS rectennae sites are located in sparsely populated areas where transportation costs may be high. Thus, if Isard’s theory is accepted, little relocation of industry may occur around the sites. The substitution concept has important implications for SPS which will be explored later. 2.1.6 Recent Contributions There has been little progress during the last two decades in the elaboration of classical location theory. Although locational analysis has continued its development with new perspectives evolving, most of these contributions do not constitute new conceptual frameworks. Rather, they provide generalizations based on observations of the industrial world.1 The purpose of this section is to note these recent contributions but not extensively detail them. The behavioral theory points out that economic man is assumed to be normative. That is, decisions are made under complete economic rationality (perfect knowledge). It is often pointed out that this is not true in reality, and that a rational optimal industrial location decision is impossible. Thus, the search for an industrial location is not for one that is optimal, but rather for one that will satisfy the needs of the decision-maker. The general systems approach grew out of the concern for increasing specialization and the general inability to view problems in their totality. The systems approach recognizes that the totality of production factors must be considered by a firm desiring to secure a satisfactory location. Thus, one must examine the flow of information in order to understand the links and relationships between factors affecting the choice of location. The growth pole theory notes that the economic space of a firm is determined, among other things, by a field of forces. As a field of forces, economic space consists of centers (or poles or foci) from which centrifugal

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