Dispersion of industrial employment in the Greater London Area

Abstract

Tulpule A. H. (1969) Dispersion of industrial employment in the Greater London Area, Reg. Studies, 3, 25–40. As cities grow workplaces tend to move away from the centre. This movement is reflected in differential growth rates of industrial employment in the inner and outer parts of an urban area. The growth of an industry in a particular zone within an urban area depends on the zone's characteristics and the extent of outward movement of an industry depends on its characteristics. This article studies firstly the differences in growth rates of employment in different zones of an urban area for two manufacturing industries and, secondly, the relationship between the outward movement of industries, measured by the shifts in their centres of gravity, and some characteristics of the industries. The data used are from the 1951–61 population census (industry tables) for London and surrounding areas. The results suggest the existence of some of the postulated relationships.