An economic geography of consumer movement and expenditure patterns in county Durham

Abstract

The central theme of this thesis is the analysis of patterns of consumer movement, which is based upon extensive hypothesis-orientated survey data collected in County Durham. The thesis falls into three related parts: In part I a number of hypotheses relating socio-economic factors to household movement patterns for the purchase of different goods are tested. In addition, methods of predicting the sectoral and spatial distributions of incomes and expenditures are examined. Throughout this part of the thesis, elements of the social and settlement geography of the County are outlined and analysed, providing an important background for all parts of the thesis. In part II, hypotheses derived from the framework of Central Place theory are tested against extensive consumer interaction data, related in turn to the system of centres in the area. In part III the above data on consumer movement is employed with a gravity model for two main purposes: Firstly, to attempt a rigorous test of the performance of the model, both as an allocative model, and at the same time as a model to replicate spatial patterns. Weaknesses of the model are investigated. Secondly, the model is used to continue the search for explanation of observed patterns of movement. This analysis is set against a theoretical review of the nature of and problems associated with these models.