Regional Science Research Research Articles

Objective diagnosis of machine learning method applicability to land comprehensive carrying capacity evaluation: A case study based on integrated RF and DPSIR models

The evaluation of land comprehensive carrying capacity (LCCC) is a popular topic in regional sustainable development and land science research. However, these evaluations are often not objective due to the complexity and nonlinear characteristics of the LCCC evaluation indicators. This study provides a new framework for using machine learning methods to objectively evaluate LCCC. The Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) indicator conceptual framework was used for the spatial visualisation of indicators and was then combined with the random forest (RF) model to optimise the LCCC evaluation. The results showed the following: (1) The accuracy of the integrated RF and DPSIR model was better than that of traditional support vector machine (SVM) and principal component analysis (PCA) methods, indicating that RF model was more suitable for LCCC evaluations. (2) The contribution of the DPSIR indicators after RF optimisation was significantly different from that of the traditional analytic hierarchy process (AHP), the contribution of the influence subsystem (I) (48.7%) was enhanced, while the contribution of the drive subsystem (D) (6.8%) was weakened, demonstrating that after RF optimisation, the DPSIR was more conducive for handling complex nonlinear systems and objectively reflecting indicator contributions. (3) The objective attributes of the DPSIR indicators were optimised through the processing of spatial visualisation models, indicating that RF was suitable for processing evaluations with a multidimensional spatial heterogeneity index system. The LCCC evaluation model can be applied to other carrying capacity case studies and operational processes and provide a scientific method for handling the multidimensional nonlinear evaluation index system and objective evaluation of LCCC.

Data-driven Regional Defense Technology Collaborative Innovation Visualization Research of The Development Situation

Innovation-driven development strategy as China's national strategy, it is of strategic significance for China to form a new international competitive advantage and enhance the long-term driving force for development. This paper constructs an index system the for the evaluation of regional defense technology collaborative innovation , with eight innovation reform experimental area and cities and states as a research object, using big data technology and methods to collect index data online, and at the same time based on AHP level comprehensive evaluation and the "normalization" processing methods of network search heat value, to conduct an in-depth analysis of the development trend of national defense and national defense science and technology collaborative innovation in the region, and form a visual image display. Research results show that: in the process of coordinated development of regional defense science and technology, the pilot zone for innovation and reform in urban areas, including Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, ChengDeMian and other aeras, are enjoying good momentum of collaborative innovation in defense science and technology. Chengdu, Mianyang and other urban defense science and technology collaborative innovation development trend is good, which provides data support for the regional defense science and technology collaborative innovation research and promote the in-depth development of defense science and technology collaborative innovation.

Spatial machine learning: new opportunities for regional science

This paper is a methodological guide to using machine learning in the spatial context. It provides an overview of the existing spatial toolbox proposed in the literature: unsupervised learning, which deals with clustering of spatial data, and supervised learning, which displaces classical spatial econometrics. It shows the potential of using this developing methodology, as well as its pitfalls. It catalogues and comments on the usage of spatial clustering methods (for locations and values, both separately and jointly) for mapping, bootstrapping, cross-validation, GWR modelling and density indicators. It provides details of spatial machine learning models, which are combined with spatial data integration, modelling, model fine-tuning and predictions to deal with spatial autocorrelation and big data. The paper delineates “already available” and “forthcoming” methods and gives inspiration for transplanting modern quantitative methods from other thematic areas to research in regional science.

Trademarks as an indicator of regional innovation: evidence from Japanese prefectures

ABSTRACT Regional science has long been concerned with measuring the spatial distribution of innovation activity. We introduce trademarks as a new indicator for regional innovation and argue that they are particularly useful to measure the ‘soft’ side of innovation that is difficult to capture with conventional indicators. We explore the spatial distribution of trademarks using a detailed and comprehensive dataset of 47 Japanese prefectures from 1999 to 2012. In addition to mapping differences in trademarking across regions, we identify correlates at the regional level that provide insights into determinants of regional innovation measured via trademarks. For example, regional trademark activity positively correlates with population density, income per capita, entrepreneurship rate, the number of universities, and strong private service and finance sectors. Overall, the results reveal associations unique to trademarks that other measures of innovation cannot uncover. Our findings contribute to research in regional science and the evolving literature on trademarks.

The New Data Revolution in Regional Science: A Tribute to the Late Stan Czamanski

The methodology of regional science is traditionally based on a sound mix of conceptual framing and operational (or applied) analysis. In recent years, we have witnessed an avalanche of new empirical data used in regional science research (e.g., social media, ‘big data’, sensor data, App data, etc.). Such new data emerge in particular as a result of digital technology applications and interactive media. But also in traditional statistical domains we observe a rapid expansion of the data base for regional science research, to the extent that a gradual shift from basic thinking towards applied research is taking place. One of the pioneers in regional science who has devoted a significant part of his scientific work to applied research has been the late Stan Czamanski (1918 - 2012). He was fascinated by the question of how to introduce space in a measurable way as a key variable or a structural component in socio-economic research at the sub-national level. Based on a solid conceptual framework of the space-economy, he was able to design operational macroeconomic regional accounts and regional input-output tables, which he used as practical instruments to map out complex spatial-economic phenomena. He grew up in the quantitative research tradition pioneered by Walter Isard, Wassilly Leontief and Lawrence Klein amongst others; they all tried to develop measurement models for studying industrial structures and (spatial-)economic linkages, inter alia by adjusting (inter-)national data to regional economies. A prominent question will also be whether the unprecedented rise in spatially relevant data volumes leads to better insights into the complexity of the space-economy, leave aside whether this may lead to better policy decisions. To address this question, a two-day international Advanced Brainstorm Carrefour (ABC) workshop (in April 2019) was held in Tel- Aviv and Haifa in honor of the late Stan Czamanski. This meeting was organized by The Regional Science Academy (TRSA) and supported by the Tel- Aviv University and the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The ABC workshop brought together scholars from all continents to reflect on the new data-analytics challenges of the post-Czamanski age. Both conceptual and applied studies addressing the above-mentioned challenges were welcomed at this fruitful meeting.

Discussion on the theoretical basis and technical system of large-scale terrestrial ecosystem science research.

Large-scale terrestrial ecosystem science research becomes an important research field with the promotion of meeting the scientific demand of biodiversity conservation, global climate change mitigation, regional eco-environment governance, and social sustainable development. It is developing rapidly under the guidance of China's ecological civilization construction strategy. Here, we systematically discussed the missions, theoretical foundation and methodology of large-scale terrestrial ecosystem science research and proposed a new theoretical foundation, conceptual system and logical framework for macroecosystem science research on the basis of macrosystem ecology theory. It elaborated the discipline connotation and application of the macroecosystem science to 1) deve-lop the conceptual network of ecosystem science based on the systematic characteristics of ecosystems; 2) develop the theoretical system of ecosystem state change analysis based on the ecosystem integrity and emergence characteristics; 3) develop the theoretical system of integrated research for ecosystem structure-process-function-service cascade relationship based on the attributes and state of ecosystems. We also discussed the methodology and technical system of regional and continental macroecosystem science research, and highlighted the urgency to construct a new generation of continental ecosystem observation and research network, and to develop the network observation-network experiment-numerical simulation-knowledge fusion four-in-one infrastructures.

The New Data Revolution in Regional Science: A Tribute to the Late Stan Czamanski

The methodology of regional science is traditionally based on a sound mix of conceptual framing and operational (or applied) analysis. In recent years, we have witnessed an avalanche of new empirical data used in regional science research (e.g., social media, ‘big data’, sensor data, App data, etc.). Such new data emerge in particular as a result of digital technology applications and interactive media. But also in traditional statistical domains we observe a rapid expansion of the data base for regional science research, to the extent that a gradual shift from basic thinking towards applied research is taking place. One of the pioneers in regional science who has devoted a significant part of his scientific work to applied research has been the late Stan Czamanski (1918 - 2012). He was fascinated by the question of how to introduce space in a measurable way as a key variable or a structural component in socio-economic research at the sub-national level. Based on a solid conceptual framework of the space-economy, he was able to design operational macroeconomic regional accounts and regional input-output tables, which he used as practical instruments to map out complex spatial-economic phenomena. He grew up in the quantitative research tradition pioneered by Walter Isard, Wassilly Leontief and Lawrence Klein amongst others; they all tried to develop measurement models for studying industrial structures and (spatial-)economic linkages, inter alia by adjusting (inter-)national data to regional economies. A prominent question will also be whether the unprecedented rise in spatially relevant data volumes leads to better insights into the complexity of the space-economy, leave aside whether this may lead to better policy decisions. To address this question, a two-day international Advanced Brainstorm Carrefour (ABC) workshop (in April 2019) was held in Tel- Aviv and Haifa in honor of the late Stan Czamanski. This meeting was organized by The Regional Science Academy (TRSA) and supported by the Tel- Aviv University and the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The ABC workshop brought together scholars from all continents to reflect on the new data-analytics challenges of the post-Czamanski age. Both conceptual and applied studies addressing the above-mentioned challenges were welcomed at this fruitful meeting.

Learning for change: Integrated teaching modules and situated learning for marine social-ecological systems change

Access to science-based environmental education is critical to improve rural coastal communities’ adaptive capacity and resilience. Based on research in two rural, underprivileged schools in South Africa’s southern Cape coastal region, we describe the process and lessons learnt in developing and deploying a series of integrated teaching modules for middle school (Gr 7-9) learners. The modules’ structure was informed by integrated curriculum design, and lessons were developed to augment the existing syllabus. Social and situated learning paradigms also informed the modules’ development, with lessons and practical exercises drawn from the surrounding environment and community, as well as incorporating data from ongoing regional marine science research. In a context of rural isolation, limited resources and a mistrust of outsiders amongst adult community members, the findings suggest that the modules may serve as building blocks of intentional learning to bolster adaptive capacity amongst both learners and the broader local community.

When Rent Seeking Smacks You in the Face: TIF and Motivated Reasoning

This article is a substitute for the Fellows Address that I did not get to present at the 2020 Southern Regional Science Association (SRSA) Conference due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Regional science research typically addresses real world problems in hopes of guiding better policy decisions. Why is it, then, that economic development plans often fail to reflect best practices? What do you do when you find that your own community is about to buy into a terrible plan? In this address, I share my observations and experience with a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) development plan implemented in Norman, OK. I point out how motivated reasoning leads policy makers to seek reasons to approve a plan rather than to evaluate if a plan is good. To make a meaningful impact on public policy decisions, scholars will need to step out of their comfort zones and engage in - sometimes contentious - community outreach education.

The Nordic contribution to regional science: People, principles and empirics

AbstractThis paper examines the contribution of the Nordic countries to regional science scholarship and practice over the last century. In order to do this we begin by reviewing the contributions of five key scholars whose work has heavily shaped regional science thinking in different ways. In each case the work of each of these scholars was seminal in different ways in different strands of regional science research. Yet, at the same time, one of the issues which arises is that the contribution of these key thinkers has to some extent often been rather overlooked, in some cases for linguistics reasons, but in other cases because of changing research traditions. The more recent contributions of Nordic scholars to regional science research are very varied, but at the same time it is possible to detect a clear focus on issues related to knowledge‐related and innovation‐related topics. The analytical contributions of Nordic regional science research are much bigger than the size of the countries might suggests, but this is not always understood. Moreover, over the years the Nordic regional science community has also played a significant role in regional science institutions and activities, which again is probably more significant than the size of the Nordic countries would suggest.

Growth of City Regions and Bank Branch Localization

Current research in regional science focuses on the relationships between production factors and their impact on the overall product of cities, as well as topics dealing with the contribution of different city sizes to the economic growth. However, the ongoing process of international financialization tightly linked to access to finance gains on importance as the financial sector serves as a conduit for capital transformation in space. This article examines the economic growth of Slovak city regions and estimates the effect of access to finance measured by bank branches availability in these regions, once controlling for the standard impact of production factors. We construct non-overlapping three 5-years periods panel for more than 60 Slovak urban regions and combine it with data on bank branches localization on the county level and for major domestic commercial banks. The standard Cobb-Douglas production function is utilized with regional output calculated for firms with more than 20 employees and measures of physical and quantity and quality of human capital as conditioning variables. The characteristics of individual banks with bank branches located inside the city regions are included in order to investigate quality effect of financialization process. In order to control for time-invariant region-specific effect we use fixed effect panel model. Potential endogeneity issue between regional productivity and bank branch localization is addressed by the use of IV-2SLS estimator.

КОМПЛЕКСНИЙ ПЕРЕХІД: РЕГІОНАЛЬНІ ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ ТА ПРАКТИКИ В КИТАЇ

The article aims to outline the main features of the development of the regional economy as a policy and science in the era of reform and openness. The research was conducted using the tools of the theory of transition, which have been developed in China since the early 1980's,fixing the pace and priorities for modernization of the country. The theoretical foundations of economic reforms, including in their spatial dimension, in China turned out to be somewhat different from the classical ones due to their implementation in the conditions of the official course of building "socialism with Chinese specifics" and transformations of the economic mechanism while solving problems of industrialization and modernization. The formation of the concept of China's transition economy took place in conditions of stability of the political foundations of society within the socialist socio-economic system with active state regulation of socio-economic processes. There were no market transformations analogues in the economic history of China, which necessitated long-term, constant and creative development of economic theory, and in the short term - constant monitoring of the economic situation in the country, as well as in-depth analysis of current problems of their own development. From the very beginning of the process of economic reform, Chinese scholars have conducted comparative studies of the economic development of a number of countries. Therefore, the basis of Chinese reforms is a comparative analysis of the evolution of industries in different countries to determine the priorities of China's development. At the same time, within the theory of international economic relations, aauthors analyzed the development of the regional economy to identify positive factors that could increase economic growth in regions and in the long-term run allow them to reach the level of regions in the developed countries. Authors adhered to some mainstream regional science theories and leading reserchers’ views. This paper explores rapid rise of most regions in China in recent decades and the challenges of widening gaps between them have been issues of major concern for the Central government. Its policy has steered up regional science research and discussions within academic and university community in China and overseas. This paper explores some banchmarks of regional development in China over its reform and openness period (1978-2020). It considers a range of issues including regional structure, models and systems, intraregional integration and governance by China East, Central, West, North Eest major regions. The novelty of the paper lays in the brief introduction of China regional policy, economy and science as an integrative phenomenon, rarely and in unsystematic way known to European readers. Development the regional policy, economic zoning, regional management and practice of regional planning and forecasting under maturinbg market conditions and more sophisticated, undirect government interventions looks controversial brings new options for further discussion . The authors believe, that, inter alia, the paper could draw attention of academics and practitioners of the two countries to some issues of interregional cooperation.

Regional science in the Netherlands: A contextual interpretation of the “power of smallness”

AbstractThis paper provides an overview of regional science research in the Netherlands since the 1960s. It adopts a contextual thematic approach in identifying and interpreting regional science research topics, practices and methodologies, inspired by Toynbee's challenge and response concept. It argues that place‐based, cultural and historical conditions in the Netherlands have prompted a pragmatic and evidence‐based scientific approach, in which in particular an innovative quantitative orientation accompanied by a methodological heterogeneity has given Dutch regional science a high international profile. Over the past decades, numerous regional scientists in the country have contributed to this achievement, too many to be mentioned in this overview. This paper has its limitations and offers mainly thematic examples of original—often quantitative—research undertaken by various Dutch regional scientists, that make a difference compared to general approaches in Europe and world‐wide. From our concise review we conclude that – despite the small size of the country – the challenge and creative response model of Dutch regional science has been rather successful.

Population, diversity, and restaurants: trends in the geography of cuisine variety in the Netherlands

Over the past two decades, research in regional science has paid considerable attention to the benefits of urban density and proximity, even though there has been tremendous progress within the same period in technologies that ease the friction of distance (e.g. mobile communication, high-speed internet). Many scholars argue that in spite of falling transportation costs for tradable goods and the proliferation of information and communication technology cities will always have a vital edge in facilitating face-to-face communication. We argue that even if this is the case, there still remains a host of benefits that have come to rely less on urban density and this will have implications for the future of cities. In the current study we focus on one particular type of benefit associated with urban size and density – namely, the availability of a specialized array of urban amenities. More precisely, we use regional data on the distribution of restaurants in the Netherlands, and differentiate them according to their cuisine type. We explore how the presence of cuisine variety relates to population density and diversity, and whether these relationships vary across different city sizes. We find that the explanatory power of population density and diversity diminishes over time, especially in smaller cities. We argue that these trends support the hypothesis that a reduction of spatial information frictions reduces the need for urban density, as benefits associated with larger cities – such as cuisine variety – can be increasingly found in smaller cities.

Challenges for regional science research: past and present

ABSTRACTWith regional science now into its seventh decade, it is timely to step back and look at what regional science is about, the past challenges it has faced, particularly its relevance, and to identify some of the challenges it has confronted in the past and at present. The paper demonstrates regional science research has had, and continues to have, policy relevance, as well as being relevant for business, and has addressed important issues. It provides an overview of recent commentaries on issues regional scientists might now be addressing.

The US Census Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics Datasets

Over the last several years, the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics program at the US Census Bureau has partnered with state labor market information offices to produce a collection of extremely rich datasets based on linked employer-employee records. These datasets, available free for download from the program website, offer exceptionally detailed information on a number of topics of interest to regional scientists, including migration, local labor market dynamics, and the spatial distribution of employment. This article describes the process by which these data are generated, the different publicly available datasets, and examples of research in regional science that is already using these data.

Longitudinal methods in regional science: a review

This paper provides a review of regional science research employing longitudinal models. Three groups of applications are distinguished. The first group includes studies modeling variations in distance rather than duration. The second group includes studies that focus on spatial behavior in an event history setting. The last group is still in its infancy and casts regional change in a longitudinal perspective. We recommend that methodological advances should focus on designing space–time models that synthesize longitudinal with spatial econometric techniques.

Spatial Optimization for Land-use Allocation

Land-use allocation has long been an important area of research in regional science. Land-use patterns are fundamental to the functions of the biosphere, creating interactions that have substantial impacts on the environment. The spatial arrangement of land uses therefore has implications for activity and travel within a region. Balancing development, economic growth, social interaction, and the protection of the natural environment is at the heart of long-term sustainability. Since land-use patterns are spatially explicit in nature, planning and management necessarily must integrate geographical information system and spatial optimization in meaningful ways if efficiency goals and objectives are to be achieved. This article reviews spatial optimization approaches that have been relied upon to support land-use planning. Characteristics of sustainable land use, particularly compactness, contiguity, and compatibility, are discussed and how spatial optimization techniques have addressed these characteristics are detailed. In particular, objectives and constraints in spatial optimization approaches are examined.

Coauthorship in Regional Science

The year 2015 marked the fiftieth anniversary of West Virginia University’s (WVU) Regional Research Institute (RRI), which has played an important role in many scientific collaboration networks. Through social network analysis (SNA) focusing on the RRI research community since its inception in 1965, this article illustrates the role that organizations and the networks they promote can play in scientific problem domains, promoting scholarly collaborations and coauthorship in the field of regional science. We analyzed an evolving WVU RRI coauthorship network that has grown and gained in complexity over time in terms of (1) global metrics, (2) components and cluster analysis, (3) centrality, and (4) PageRank and AuthorRank. The results of these analyses depict a well-developed and influential scientific collaboration structure within both WVU and the regional science research community.

For Whom the Bells Toll: Alonso and a Regional Science of Decline.

In his presidential address to the Regional Science Association over thirty years ago, William Alonso presented the case for "Five Bell Shapes in Development" and argued that "the developed countries will enter fully in to the realm of the right-hand tail of these curves" (p. 16) and that this transition might result in several surprises. He proposed, therefore, that we should study the right tail of these "curves" as well as interactions among them. Much of what Alonso suggested has come to pass, although his prognostications were not always exact. And although he touched on several issues of relevance to regional scientists, the discipline has been slow to move away from a growth-centered paradigm. The strength of regional science-the capacity to consider economic, demographic, and geographical aspects of an issue simultaneously-has yet to be focused on some of the "right-hand" challenges that have arisen, population loss, for example. In this article, we provide a review of regional science research within the context of Alonso's five bells and hypothesize how Alonso's propositions might differ in today's world. We then focus more specifically on one particular area: population loss. Using these examples allows us to highlight how regional science might contribute to the conceptualization of "right-hand tail" development challenges, especially where theory, issues of spatial scale, and interregional dependencies are concerned.