Hubert Beguin

Location theory and transportation costs

Abstract In this paper, we consider the problem of locating one firm within a transportation network. For this problem, the main known result, called the Hakimi theorem, states that an optimal location of the firm is either a market or a node of the network. Our purpose is to extend this result in two directions. First, when several transportation modes exist, we show that the junction points between different modes can also be optimal locations. Second, we study the role of the fixed transportation costs. We prove that markets are local optimal locations when such costs exist, and that a market is the only optimal solution under specific assumptions about the size of the fixed costs. Simulation is used to illustrate the relevance of the approach.

The Location of Fire Stations in a Rural Environment: A Case Study

In this paper an application of location-allocation modelling to an emergency service is presented. This study differs in two aspects from earlier work because it covers two neglected fields: (1) it is concerned with a rural environment whereas most case studies are about urban areas; (2) it is a comparison of the performance of several models instead of using only one. Efficiency as well as equity are taken into account. The main conclusions are about the issues of the choice of an appropriate model from 3 candidate models, the stability of the solutions with respect to variations in the number of facilities, the quasi-nested structure of some solutions, and the high cost of introducing equity.

Individual cognition of urban neighbourhoods over space and time: A case study

This paper is aimed at assessing how far an individual-level analysis can contribute to our knowledge of neighbourhood familiarity over space and time. An appropriate theoretical framework and a careful methodology (with special attention to variable control and measurement problems) are used to gain new insights into processes of neighbourhood cognition. Although classical results are corroborated at the aggregate level, specific results are derived at the individual level: (1) large differences are found between individual learning processes; (2) differences in individual cognition decrease over time. Methodological conclusions are also provided. The main likely conclusion is that currently unidentified variables are to a large extent responsible for the observed impressive diversity of individual learning processes. This is a challenge to future research on cognition.

Weight Variations Within a Set of Demand Points, and Location Allocation Issues - a Case-study of Public-libraries

The purpose in this paper is to explore the consequences of weight variations in a given set of demand points on the following p-median results: the average and maximum distance between demand and supply, the geographical pattern of supply points, and the amount allocated to every supply site. By using a real-world case study (intraurban location of public libraries), two different estimations of demand associated with the same set of demand and potential supply sites are compared. Results show only small differences in the p-median outputs in spite of rather large discrepancies in the distributions of demand weights. This invites further and systematic research about the robustness of p-median results with respect to variations in the geographical distribution of demand.

Private versus Public Service Location Behaviour: The Case of Rural Dentists

The purpose of this paper is to explore the interface between private and public service location behaviour. An empirical test investigates the following hypothesis: when competition is restricted to locational behaviour, independent private firms select their locations so as to maximize accessibility to their clients. The case of dentists in a rural environment supports this hypothesis by showing a significant similarity between the observed location pattern and simulatedp-median configurations.

Urban size and public expenditure: A case study

This paper is concerned with the influence of urban size on the variations of public expenditure per capita in Morocco. The conclusion is that urban size may be considered as an intervening variable and that public expenditure is dependent upon urban wealth. In a dynamic perspective, it is shown that the elasticity of public expenditure in relation to population is negatively linked to population growth, and that the elasticity is independent from urban size.

Les aires théoriques de marché des villes

Le but de cet article est de donner quelques proprietes generales des aires theoriques de marche des villes. On montre notamment comment la forme des aires de marche change avec la fonction de cout de transport utilisee. Diverses autres proprietes sont donnees concernant les bornes topologiques des aires de marche ainsi que les conditions auxquelles ces aires sont vides, bornees, convexes.

Où construire les équipements collectifs ?: (Une introduction à la localisation optimale des services publics)

Le redeploiement spatial des services publics est a l’etude dans plusieurs administrations tant en Belgique qu’a l’etranger. Les difficultes liees a la crise economique nous invitent en effet a repenser la maniere dont on peut satisfaire les besoins des usagers tout en disposant de moyens plus limites : c’est le probleme de la recherche d’une plus grande efficacite. Mais la crise nous incite egalement a accorder davantage d’attention aux plus defavorises par une politique redistributive : c’est le probleme de la recherche d’une meilleure equite. Ces deux problemes presentent de nombreuses facettes. Ce numero special des Recherches Economiques de Louvain s’attache a l’une d’entre elles: celle qui concerne la localisation geographique des services publics , c’est-a-dire la repartition des equipements collectifs sur un territoire donne. Plus concretement, cela consiste a traiter les questions suivantes: Faut-il modifier les localisations actuelles? Si oui, quels equipements faut-il supprimer et ou faut-il placer ceux qu’il serait necessaire de creer? Si non, que peut-on gagner a redefinir les zones desservies par les equipements existants?