Towards a general theory of public and private facility location

Abstract

Theories of public facility locations have followed a rather haphazard pattern. The prevailing “emptiness” reflects the varying kinds of public facilities requiring location. It also reflects the personal-social behavioral basis which underscores selection of public facility locations. The present paper sets forth a new approach along the lines of welfare economics towards the end of determining the factors (such as demand, cost, welfare (or utility), etc.) which underscore public facility location patterns. In the process of developing our model, the approach is shown to dovetail with that applicable to locations of private enterprises. What in many respects is a general theory of facility location is thereby established herein.