Spatial Division of Labor

Abstract

Spatial divisions of labor involve the organization of certain production tasks in particular regions and geographical areas and/or the concentration of certain economic sectors in particular regions. Spatial divisions of labor provide a basis for explaining the uneven development of the space economy of capitalism. Earlier conceptualizations of spatial divisions of labor within national economies have been developed more recently at an international level to understanding the changing nature and organization of the world economy. These developments have involved understanding new international divisions of labor, global commodity chains, global production networks, and networks of value and regional development processes. As such, spatial divisions of labor provide important insights into territorial uneven development and inequality and their connection to the organization of economic geographies and economic networks.