In a society with virtually all phases of the economy subject to planning an interest in regional economic planning almost inevitably arises. Such an interest has been evident in the USSR since the early 1920s, although not always to the same degree. Out of this interest evolved the notion of the economic complex, broadly conceived as a regional grouping of integrated economic activities. Inasmuch as these complexes were frequently thought of as geographic entities, the expression “territorial-production complex” (territorial'no-proizvodstvennyi kompleks), as well as some essentially synonymous terms, came into use. Interpretations vary somewhat, but, to judge from the frequency of reference to the concept in the professional journals of the geographers, economists, and planners, the idea seems to be a basic one among those concerned with regional planning.
An understanding of the rural-urban preferences of manufacturers is important for those concerned with alleviating regional imbalances in income levels and job opportunities. Unfortunately, studies of the locational tendencies of manufacturing plants on a regional scale have generally used counties or states as areal units. To avoid this coarse areal screen, a mail survey of the rural-urban locational preferences of manufacturing plants in ten Southern states was conducted. Southern plants are much more oriented to small towns and rural areas than is true nationally, and this tendency is becoming even more pronounced, but there is considerable variation among the ten states studied. Light industry was found in cities more often than heavy industry; however, many of the newer plants, regardless of industry type, were located outside municipal boundaries, KEY WORDS: Industrial location, Manufacturing, Regional development, Rural areas, Southern United States.striking feature of the Southern land-A scape today is the large number of old and new industrial plants.2 Some are in or near towns of various sizes, whereas others are located some distance out in the country. One sometimes has the impression that newer plants tend to be in suburban and rural areas, whereas older plants are nearer town centers. It seems appropriate, therefore, to pose the thoroughly geographical question, "what are the rural-urban locational preferences of manufacturers establishing plants in the South?" Are these preferences any different today than they were in the past? Do they vary from state to state within the South? Are there significant differences in rural-urban preferences according to industry type or plant size?These questions have significance in a society which is becoming increasingly concerned over substantial geographic differences in
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