Examining Spatial Structure Using Gravity Models

In this chapter, we discuss the use of gravity models in the study of spatial structure. Using the recent discussion on functional polycentricity as a background, we argue that the gravity model approach has one obvious advantage when examining spatial structure: it can simultaneously assess functional polycentricity and spatial interdependencies within one modelling framework. The chapter concludes with a discussion of methods that can be applied to estimate the gravity model.

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