Behind the mystery of economic growth stands another mystery: why do some places fare better than others? Casual evidence shows that sizable differences exist at very different spatial scales (countries, regions and cities). This book aims to discuss the main economic reasons for the existence of peaks and troughs in the spatial distribution of wealth and people, with a special emphasis on the role of large cities and regional agglomerations in the process of economic development.

A festschrift to honour Mel Greenhut, who has long toiled on spatial economics, this book focuses on a single question - if and how economic space matters, discussing theoretical, as well as historical issues of contemporary relevance.;Subjects covered include historical accounts of spatial economics; land use and public goods; and location theory and spatial competition. Hiroshi Ohta is the author of "Theory of Spatial Pricing and Market Areas" (with M.L. Greenhut), "Spatial Price Theory of Imperfect Competition" and "New Frontiers in Regional Science". Jacques-Francois Thisse is the co-author of "Discrete Choice Theory of Product Differentiation".;The contributors include Simon P. Anderson, William J. Baumol, Bruce L. Benson, Andre de Palma, B. Curtis Easton, Nicholas S. Economides, Robert B. Ekelund Jr, Ronald D. Fischer, John G. Greenhut, Timothy J. Gronberg, Robert E. Hebert, Hong Hwang, Amoz Kats, Tatsuhiko Kawashima, Chao-Cheng Mai, Milton H. Marquis, Edwin S. Mills, Gordon M. Myers, Hisao Nishioka, George Norman, Yorgos Y. Papageorgiou, Louis Phlips, Susan Rose-Ackerman, Noboru Sakashita, Paul A. Samuelson, Douglas G. Sauer, Thomas R. Saving, Nicolas Schmitt, Takaaki Takaha

Considers such issues as the effect of local government policies on migration, the optimal size of cities, tax and expenditure capitalization, the economics of intergovernmental transfers, tax exporting and tax competition.

Microeconomic Theories of Imperfect Competition: Old Problems and New Perspectives is an authoritative collection of readings which, together with a new, original introductory essay by the editors, provides a broad overview of the major theoretical concepts in the field.This collection includes published papers on industry size: quantity and price competition, entry barriers, product differentiation, incomplete information, general equilibrium with imperfect competition. This book will be essential reading both for those seeking an introduction to the subject and those seeking a new perspective.

In recent years a growing number of social scientists have become increasingly interested in the study of location problems. This interest has been fostered by the integration of national economies within broader spaces such as the EU or NAFTA as well as by their impact on the development of regions and cities. Another important reason for this attention is the growing awareness among economists that a comprehensive economic theory can no longer put space aside. Most economic activities are distributed over space, and for such activities space moulds the very nature of competition between firms. This major collection of classic articles demonstrates the important contribution of location theory and will be an essential source of reference for students or researchers of modern regional science or economic theory.

Behind the mystery of economic growth stands another mystery: why do some places fare better than others? Casual evidence shows that sizable differences exist at very different spatial scales (countries, regions and cities). This book aims to discuss the main economic reasons for the existence of peaks and troughs in the spatial distribution of wealth and people, with a special emphasis on the role of large cities and regional agglomerations in the process of economic development.

Economic activities are not concentrated on the head of a pin, nor are they spread evenly over a featureless plane. On the contrary, they are distributed very unequally across locations, regions and countries. Even though economic activities are, to some extent, spatially concentrated because of natural features, economic mechanisms that rely on the trade-off between various forms of increasing returns and different types of mobility costs are more fundamental. This book is a study of the economic reasons for the existence of a large variety of agglomerations arising from the global to the local. This second edition combines a comprehensive analysis of the fundamentals of spatial economics and an in-depth discussion of the most recent theoretical developments in new economic geography and urban economics. It aims to highlight several of the major economic trends observed in modern societies. The first edition was the winner of the 2004 William Alonso Memorial Prize for Innovative Work in Regional Science.

Since cities are likely to play an even more predominant role in the global economy in the future than they do at present, it is important to understand how urban centers are created, grow, and function in the process of generating and distributing wealth. This integrated collection of essays exploring the new economic theory of cities assembles recent work by a number of the world's leading exponents in North America, the UK/Europe, and Japan. Topics investigated include cities and agglomeration, urban systems, urbanization and growth, and cities and factor markets. The perspectives the editors and contributors offer have strong connections with several branches of modern economics, including industrial organization, public economics, international trade, and endogenous growth and economic development.

This 2000 text applies modern advances in game theory to the analysis of competition policy and develops some of the theoretical and policy concerns associated with the pioneering work of Louis Phlips. Containing contributions by leading scholars from Europe and North America, this book observes a common theme in the relationship between the regulatory regime and market structure. Since the inception of the new industrial organization, economists have developed a better understanding of how real-world markets operate. These results have particular relevance to the design and application of anti-trust policy. Analyses indicate that picking the most competitive framework in the short run may be detrimental to competition and welfare in the long run, concentrating the attention of policy makers on the impact on the long-run market structure. This book provides essential reading for graduate students of industrial and managerial economics as well as researchers and policy makers.

Since cities are likely to play an even more predominant role in the global economy in the future than they do at present, it is important to understand how urban centers are created, grow, and function in the process of generating and distributing wealth. This integrated collection of essays exploring the new economic theory of cities assembles recent work by a number of the world's leading exponents in North America, the UK/Europe, and Japan. Topics investigated include cities and agglomeration, urban systems, urbanization and growth, and cities and factor markets. The perspectives the editors and contributors offer have strong connections with several branches of modern economics, including industrial organization, public economics, international trade, and endogenous growth and economic development.

This is a Festschrift to honour Professor Melvin Greenhut who has long toiled on spatial economics. The book accordingly focuses on a single question: in what sense 'economic space' matters in economic theory. Space in economics is an elusive concept, apparently separating and embracing economic agents at the same time. This is why adding it to already overly complicated economic agents at the same time. This is why adding it to already overly complicated economic models may not necessarily help economics to become sufficiently realistic. In this book, leading scholars of international stature try to find ways of introducing space in economic theory which will make it simpler and more realistic, analysing theoretical and historical issues of contemporary relevance, such as land use, congestion and public goods, location theory and spatial competition.

Market Structure and Competition Policy applies modern advances in game theory to the analysis of competition policy and develops some of the theoretical and policy concerns associated with the pioneering work of Louis Phlips. Containing contributions by leading scholars from Europe and North America, this book observes a common theme in the relationship between the regulatory regime and market structure. Since the inception of the new industrial organization, economists have developed a better understanding of how real world markets operate. These results have particular relevance to the design and application of anti-trust policy.

This two-volume set provides 38 articles, the main contributions to product differentiation theory, from early works to recent advances. A taxonomy based on modern economic theory puts the papers into a new perspective. The resulting collection gives the reader the fundamental results in the field. Contributors include: B.C. Eaton, H. Hotelling, N. Kaldor, M. Mussa, S.C. Salop, A. Shaked, G.K. Yarrow.

Economic activities are not concentrated on the head of a pin, nor are they spread evenly over a featureless plane. On the contrary, they are distributed very unequally across locations, regions and countries. Even though economic activities are, to some extent, spatially concentrated because of natural features, economic mechanisms that rely on the trade-off between various forms of increasing returns and different types of mobility costs are more fundamental. This book is a study of the economic reasons for the existence of a large variety of agglomerations arising from the global to the local. This second edition combines a comprehensive analysis of the fundamentals of spatial economics and an in-depth discussion of the most recent theoretical developments in new economic geography and urban economics. It aims to highlight several of the major economic trends observed in modern societies. The first edition was the winner of the 2004 William Alonso Memorial Prize for Innovative Work in Regional Science.

"Combes, Mayer, and Thisse have just given me an indispensable teaching tool and a great text for my students. Their book offers the most up-to-date, balanced, comprehensive treatment of both theoretical and empirical research."--Kiminori Matsuyama, Northwestern University

"In the field of geographical economics, this is exactly the kind of book that I have been waiting for. After presenting lucid and comprehensive coverage of the current state of theory, it provides the modern methodology for measuring spatial concentration and inequalities. Then it confronts the challenging task of comparing theory with facts. This book will serve as an ideal textbook for graduate students and scholars in economic geography, regional development, international trade, and public policy."--Masahisa Fujita, RIETI, Japan

"Economic geography has undergone something of a revolution in the last fifteen years with the application of formal theoretical modeling and econometric estimation to old questions. The many advances have, however, left us with a literature that is discursive, disparate, and disjointed. This book does an exceptional job of adding the needed structure, and helps all of us move toward a more complete and integrated understanding of this still-evolving area."--James R. Markusen, University of Colorado at Boulder

"Combes, Mayer, and Thisse have put together a marvelous book on economic geography. With clear, lucid writing, they present the theory and empirics of economic geography in a way that will provide insights to both those new to the field and those in search of an excellent reference work."--David Weinstein, Columbia University

"Combes, Mayer, and Thisse have produced therare text that is of value to both theorists and empirical researchers. They present the current state of knowledge about economic geography in an accessible way, paying equal attention to formal models and applied work. Their framework provides an elegant synthesis of concepts in regional economics, international trade, and economic development, which will be of broad interest to scholars and policymakers alike."--Gordon Hanson, University of California, San Diego

"A welcome addition to the literature. The authors are well-known researchers in the subject both on the theoretical and empirical sides. They put heavy emphasis on recent empirical research, not only reviewing the literature but also teaching the methodologies commonly used. No existing textbook in economic geography does this. This book fills a real gap."--Philippe Martin, coauthor of "Economic Geography and Public Policy"

"This book is well-written, extremely clear, and very well-focused. Other books are either too advanced for anyone starting in the field or too basic to be of any use beyond basic undergraduate courses. Beyond teaching, this book should also be very useful as a reference."--Gilles Duranton, University of Toronto