Comparing Rural and Urban Social and Economic Behavior in Uganda: Insights from Mobile Voice Service Usage

Abstract

The analysis of Call Detail Record (CDR) data sets generated by mobile telephony networks has generated much interest in recent years, particularly as an easily accessed source of large volumes of data capable of reflecting the dynamic behavior of humans across a range of temporal and spatial scales. This paper presents a study focused on examining human social and economic behavioral patterns in Uganda through the analysis of a CDR data set generated in a Ugandan mobile telephone network in 2010. By examining the response of subscribers to a service incentivizing higher mobile phone call rates through the offering of discounts, economically motivated differences in subscriber behavior in poorer versus wealthier regions of the country are identified. The paper also presents an analysis which suggests a high degree of social insularity within the regions of Uganda which is most likely related to regionally economic development levels in addition to the high levels of ethnic homogeneity within those regions. A methodology for identifying centers of economic activity using the data set alone is also presented and the accuracy and implications of the resultant regional patterns are discussed. Finally, measures of human mobility, and its relationship with economic and social regional characteristics, are examined through the use of graph theoretic based analysis techniques.     

Comparing China's city transportation and economic networks

The urban system has been a prevailing research issue in the fields of urban geography and regional economics. Not only do the relationships between cities in the city system exist in the form of rankings, but also in a more general network form. Previous work has examined the spatial structure of the urban system in terms of its separate industrial networks, such as in transportation and economic activity, but little has been done to compare different networks. To rectify this situation, this study analyzes and reveals the spatial structural features of China's urban system by comparing its transportation and economic urban networks, thus providing new avenues for research on China's city network. The results indicate that these two networks relate with each other by sharing structural equivalence with a basic diamond structure and a layered intercity structure decreasing outwards from the national centers. A decoupling effect also exists between them as the transportation network contributes to a balanced regional development, while the economic network promotes agglomeration economies. The law of economic development and the government both play important roles in the articulation between these two networks, and the gap between them can be shortened by related policy reforms and the improvement of the transportation network.     

Understanding Urban Spatial Structure of Shanghai Central City Based on Mobile Phone Data

Taking Shanghai Central City as its case study, this paper presents an approach to exploring the urban spatial structure through mobile phone positioning data. Firstly, based on base station location data and mobile phone signaling data, the paper analyses the number of users connecting to each base station, and further generates the maps of mobile phone user density through kernel density analysis. We move on to calculate the multi-day average user density based on a time frame of 10:00 and 23:00 at workdays and 15:00 and 23:00 at weekends for Shanghai Central City. Then, through spatial aggregation and density classifi cation on the density maps of 10:00 at workdays and 15:00 at weekends, we identify the ranks and functions of public centers within Shanghai Central City. Lastly, we identify residential areas, business off ice areas, and leisure areas in Shanghai Central City and measure the degree of functional mix by comparing the ratio of day and night user density as well as the user density at nighttime of workdays and weekends.     

Does the high-speed rail network improve economic growth?

This paper discusses whether high-speed rail (HSR) construction in China promotes urban economic growth, and it uses social network analysis (SNA) and a panel threshold model. We provide robust evidence that HSR networks have non-linear effects on the urban economy. Urban location and transportation hub status change as the density of HSR networks increases, and from 2008 to 2017, the national average annual growth rate of the weighted degree centrality (WDC) was 44.93%. We find the WDC and betweenness centrality (BC) have positive influences on urban economic growth. However, HSR network expansion reduces the economic benefits of HSR because the marginal contribution of new HSR lines to economic productivity decreases and there is a crowding out effect caused by excessive agglomeration. HSR networks can promote the economy of Western China to a greater extent and can promote the economy more in small cities than in large and medium-sized cities. These findings can help the government rationalize its strategy for designing HSR lines in various regions.     

Location, agglomeration and infrastructure

Abstract. In this article we discuss the relationships between transportation infrastructure, firm location, agglomeration and regional development. We will argue that the spatial transaction costs faced by modern firms have changed over recent decades, and that this has changed the ways in which transportation infrastructure contributes to form location behaviour and regional economic development. Therefore, in order to analyse these issues, it is necessary to consider the spatial transaction costs faced by modern firms and to investigate the conditions under which reductions in these costs due to infrastructure improvements will allow firms to move. These complex relationships are seen to be mediated via different geography-firm-organisation structures and consideration of these is essential for any realistic evaluation of the role of transportation infrastructure.     

Toward a Systemic Use of Manifold Cell Phone Network Data for Urban Analysis and Planning

Abstract

The paper will present the main results of research aimed at evaluating different mobile phone data sources for urban analysis and planning for the Monza and Brianza Province (Northern Italy) during 2011. In order to analyze the complex temporal and spatial patterns of this spatial context, we used several mobile phone traffic data (i.e. Erlang measures, SMS counts, MSC active clients counts), provided by Telecom Italia, covering two time slots in 2009 and 2010. We therefore integrated manifold mobile phone network data sources in a systemic way for a comprehensive evaluation of the overall potential of these data in describing urban dynamics.     

Embeddedness of regions in European knowledge networks: a comparative analysis of inter-regional R&D collaborations,co-patents and co-publications

This paper investigates the embeddedness of European regions in different types of inter-regional knowledge networks, namely project-based R&D collaborations within the European framework programmes (FPs), co-patent networks and co-publication networks. Embeddedness refers to the network positioning of regions captured in terms of social network analytic (SNA) centrality measures. The objective is to estimate how region-internal and region-external factors influence network embeddedness in the distinct network types, in order to identify differences in their driving factors at the regional level. In our modelling approach, we apply advanced spatial econometric techniques by means of a mixed effects panel version of the spatial Durbin model (SDM) and introduce a set of variables accounting for a capacity specific, a relational as well as a spatial dimension in regional knowledge production activities. The results reveal conspicuous differences between the knowledge networks. Internal capacity- and technology-related aspects but also spatial spillover impacts from surrounding regions prove to be particularly important for centrality in the co-patent network. We also find significant—region-internal and region-external—impacts of general economic conditions on a region’s centrality in the FP network. However, we cannot observe substantial spillover effects of region-external factors on centrality in the co-publication network. Thus, the distinctive knowledge creation foci in each network seem to find expression in the network structure as well as its regional determinants.     

Regional costs-of-living with congestion and amenity differences: an economic geography perspective

Standard models of the “new economic geography” predict that costs-of-living are low in the central and high in peripheral region, due to the fact that consumers in the periphery have to bear transportation cost for manufacturing varieties. In reality, however, only some goods are cheaper in economic centres, whereas the overall costs-of-living (including housing costs) tend to be higher. In this paper we use an analytically tractable economic geography model with an immobile housing stock, so that regional agglomeration drives up housing prices. We show that a core-periphery structure can endogenously emerge in which the core is the more expensive area in equilibrium. We also analyse the efficiency of spatial cost-of-living differences and augment the model to include an exogenous regional difference in the form of a consumption amenity.     

Non‐linearities in regional growth: A non‐parametric approach

This paper analyses the determinants of regional economic growth in the European Union adopting a non‐parametric approach. Although the local‐linear kernel estimator applied does not explicitly take into account the spatial dimension of the data, it is found to be consistent in our context. In addition, the geographically weighted regression turns out to be less efficient. We obtain evidence of a non‐linear relationship between regional growth and its determinants in the form of parameter heterogeneity and threshold effects. These non‐linearities mainly affect the initial productivity of labour, the human capital endowment and, as a novelty, the level of infrastructures.     

Revealing the relationship of human convergence–divergence patterns and land use: A case study on Shenzhen City,China

Understanding the relationship between human mobility and land use has been a longstanding topic in multiple disciplines, including transport geography and urban planning. Recently, urban collective mobility patterns have become a hot research direction and has been explored at an unprecedented space–time scale due to the emerging big human tracking datasets (e.g., mobile phone data). However, only a few studies have comprehensively quantified the effects of land use on human mobility patterns while considering the influence of the scale of spatial analysis units. This study attempts to reinforce this knowledge by investigating urban human convergence–divergence patterns and their relationship with land use distribution characteristics at three popular types of spatial analysis units of human mobility studies (voronoi polygons, grid cells, and traffic analysis zones) using mobile phone data. A case study on Shenzhen, China is implemented, and results indicate that eight distinct convergence–divergence patterns could be extracted to describe urban collective mobility patterns despite the use of different types of spatial analysis unit. Moreover, the scale of spatial analysis units exerts a few effects on the quantification of the influence of land use distribution on human convergence–divergence patterns, but some common characteristics could be summarized from these discrepant results. The findings can help policy makers understand urban human mobility and can serve as a guide for urban management and planning.     

Applying social network analysis in economic geography: framing some key analytic issues

Social network analysis attracts increasing attention in economic geography. We claim social network analysis is a promising tool for empirically investigating the structure and evolution of inter-organizational interaction and knowledge flows within and across regions. However, the potential of the application of network methodology to regional issues is far from exhausted. The aim of our paper is twofold. The first objective is to shed light on the untapped potential of social network analysis techniques in economic geography: we set out some theoretical challenges concerning the static and dynamic analysis of networks in geography. Basically, we claim that network analysis has a huge potential to enrich the literature on clusters, regional innovation systems and knowledge spillovers. The second objective is to describe how these challenges can be met through the application of network analysis techniques, using primary (survey) and secondary (patent) data. We argue that the choice between these two types of data has strong implications for the type of research questions that can be dealt with in economic geography, such as the feasibility of dynamic network analysis.     

城际轨道交通规划建设对珠江三角洲区域空间的影响

珠江三角洲地区作为中国区域经济发展最具活力的地区之一,建立以城际轨道交通为主导的新型区域旅客运输体系,对于促进该区域的进一步发展具有重要意义。城际轨道交通规划建设为珠江三角洲区域空间整合提供了机遇。城际轨道交通规划建设将从区域交通运输网络、空间地域结构,经济结构等方面,促进珠江三角洲区域空间整合。同时,城际轨道交通规划建设将引导区域空间重构, 并且表现出正反两方面的重构趋势。     

Integration of Sustainability Issues in Strategic Transportation Planning: A Multi‐criteria Model for the Assessment of Transport Infrastructure Plans

Abstract: Last decades have witnessed significant advances in transportation planning methodologies, facilitated by the development of computational algorithms, technologies, spatial modeling tools—such as geographical information systems (GIS) and decision support systems (DSS). However, at strategic planning levels, a commonly accepted assessment model integrating the sustainability paradigm is still lacking. This work presents a novel contribution to this research line, with the proposal of a multi‐criteria assessment model embedded in a GIS. The criteria have been designed covering the three dimensions of sustainability: economic, social, and environmental. This assessment model constitutes an interdisciplinary approach tightly linking network analysis, spatial geography, regional economic, and environmental issues in a GIS‐based computer framework. The validity of the methodology is tested with its application in a case study: the extension of the high speed rail (HSR) network included in the Spanish Transport and Infrastructure Plan 2005‐2020 (PEIT).     

基于手机信令数据的城市滨水空间活力研究——以苏州金鸡湖为例

面对城市滨水空间出现的空间活力衰退等问题,如何唤醒城市滨水空间活力、重塑人水和谐互动,是城镇化转型中城市空间品质提升的重要议题。手机信令大数据因其样本规模庞大、时空粒度精细、动态轨迹直观的特性,为城市滨水空间活力提升研究提供新视角。以苏州金鸡湖为例,利用手机信令大数据获取到的人群时空动态分布信息,分析滨水空间人群活力的时空特征。并进一步采用Pearson相关系数研究用地性质、交通设施丰富度、岸线可达性、服务设施数量等空间影响因子与滨水空间活力的相关性,发现影响空间活力最重要的因子是服务设施数量,同时交通设施丰富性也对空间活力提升有较好的促进作用。因此,在滨水空间规划和设计实践中应当关注公共服务设施对滨水空间活力激发的“触媒”作用,并鼓励滨水空间的复合式开发等策略。     

Economic impacts of transportation network changes: Implementation of a combined transportation network and input-output model

This article estimates and evaluates the economic impacts from a catastrophic earthquake within regional and national contexts, emphasising the inter-industry relationship in conjunction with regional commodity flows and the assessment of seismic damages on a transportation network. The analytical methods employed are twofold: a multi-regional input-output model and a regional commodity flow model. Using the above analytical framework, the economic impacts from a catastrophic earthquake are estimated and evaluated based on hypothetical scenarios of the event, by analysing the magnitude and extent of direct and indirect impacts. Furthermore, as possible extensions, the models developed here can be used as tools for strategic management of the recovery and reconstruction efforts after the event. Received: 24 September 2000 / Accepted: 23 May 2001     

Network central: regional positioning for innovative advantage

This paper investigates the characteristics of regions that contribute to their positioning within the emerging innovative networks supported by the European Union’s Framework Program using a spatial-network approach. Although the importance of research collaborations in network formation has been generally recognized, relatively little research has investigated why some regions are able to attain prominent network positions, while others do not. We analyze a spatially detailed data base of EU Framework Program-supported research ventures in Austria to understand how specific geographical nodes come to occupy important positions within key research networks. The paper deploys what is termed here a network positioning function to investigate the question of network centrality and at the same time to illustrate the possibilities of combining network and spatial analysis to examine this or other research questions where similar approaches might be applicable. Findings reveal the factors important for understanding advantageous positions enjoyed by regional districts as measured by alternative centrality concepts. Concepts that distinguish innovation exploitation from exploration were used to interpret network positions, which further clarify positioning in highly localized versus distant member networks.     

Measuring self-sustainability of economic development at the county level

Factors that affect self-sustainability of regional economic development are defined and analyzed in this paper. Extensive empirical testing shows that at the county level, the size of the regional economy and agglomeration effects are less important than its regional multiplier and its export base. Because the classic export-base model fails specification tests when estimated at the county level, a modified export-base model accounting for spatial effects is developed and analyzed. To validate the proposed spatial export-base model, a practical procedure for estimating parameters of the model is also developed and utilized in an empirical study. The paper concludes with a brief review of the applicability of the modified export-base model to the analysis of the self-sustainability of regional economies, its limitations, and its policy implications. In particular, it is suggested that regional economic development policies should focus on promoting patterns of self-reinforcing regional growth rather than on maintaining unsustainable economic initiatives. It is also demonstrated that the size of a county's economy is not directly related to its self-sustainability and growth rates. Received: May 2000/Accepted: March 2002 Many thanks to Roger Stough and Alena Smirnova for their helpful comments. The research was supported in part by Grant CO-12884F from the Appalachian Regional Commission. An earlier version of the paper was presented at the 39th Annual Meeting of the Southern Regional Science Association in Miami Beach, FL, April 13–15, 2000.     

基于宏观区域尺度的项目基地分析方法初探

本文对宏观区域尺度的基地分析提出了空间分析单元概念,并对单元在区域层面的上位规划角色、自然环境角色及人文环境角色进行分析,把握住空间分析单元的发展定位及空间结构,进而使对基地的分析面向长远、面向整体、面向综合。     

Firm clustering and innovation: Determinants and effects

In this article we ask why innovator firms engage in innovation networks, and which factors explain the spatial dispersion of these networks. Benefits of the use of internal and external knowledge resources for innovative performance of firms were partially confirmed. Especially the utilisation of external competences drawn from buyers and suppliers had stronger effects on innovative performance if complexity of innovation projects was high. Spatial concentration of innovation networks of buyers and suppliers turned out to have a reciprocal, positive relation with interaction intensity between firms. Interaction enhances spatial concentration of relations and vice versa, although the strength of effects differs for ties with buyers and suppliers. Finally we found that higher regional economic embeddedness increases spatial concentration of innovation networks, whereas R& D effort had no effect at all. Received: 11 October 2000 / Accepted: 18 April 2001     

上海市绿道网络规划研究初探

绿道是一种具有生态、娱乐、文化、审美等多种功能,可持续发展的绿色线性开敞公共活动空间网络。结合城市发展目标,本文研究了上海市绿道的功能定位,以游憩、交通、生态等功能为主,兼具文化保护功能。绿道网络规划思路依据分区特点采用差异化规划策略,以资源布局为引导要素进行路径识别,利用“反规划”途径选择绿道线路。根据功能定位、资源布局特点以及需求特征,绿道分为区域、市级、社区三级和生态型、滨水型、保护型和交通型4类,并且结合不同的分区特点,研究各分区内绿道适宜的网络模式。