Location of Economic Activities: The JRS Contribution to the Research Literature*

UK supermarket location assessment

“…Central place theory was first formulated by Christaller[5] and subsequently developed by Losch[12], and is described by Craig et al [13] as “the best developed normative theory of retail location”. Stevens[14] believes it to be “the most innovative and successful attempt to construct a fully realised theory of spatial structure”, while Marshall[15] considers it “too implausible to serve as a basis for empirical work”. Central place theory seeks to explain an apparent order among the pattern of settlements, or central places that dispensed goods and services to a surrounding area.…”

In Memoriam: Bennett Harrison and Benjamin H. Stevens

“…He was a pioneer in the use of linear programming and input-output models in regional analysis. Stevens also wrote a classic review of location theory that has stood the test of time (Stevens, 1985).…”

Location Theory, Regional Science, and Economics*

“…With such a goal, location theory is clearly at the heart of regional science. This opinion seems to be shared by many regional scientists in view of the considerable efforts made to investigate the locational implications of the optimizing behavior of economic agents [for example, Stevens (1985) cites no less than 136 references in his survey of the contributions to location theory published in the Journal of Regional Science alone].…”