Variable relationships in central place and retail potential models

Abstract

Davies R. L. (1970) Variable relationships in central place and retail potential models, Reg. Studies 4, 49–61. Considerable efforts have been spent by geographers and planners to find suitable measures of the concepts of centrality and attractiveness in shopping models. Numerous indices have been advocated which emphasize the functional and qualitative aspects of shopping centres, but these vary in nature and scope and are often dependent on field surveys or special computations. From examination of three case-study areas, it is shown that such indices are not necessarily in any more agreement with each other in hierarchic rank placements of shopping centres than they are with rankings assigned by more general variables of census statistics. It is questioned whether their applicability to shopping studies in a practical context is any greater than use of certain more commonly available and compatible census data.