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The identification of agglomeration economies

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  • Pierre-Philippe Combes
  • Gilles Duranton
  • Laurent Gobillon

Abstract

Measures of urban productivity are typically positivelyassociated with city population. But is this relationship causal? Wediscuss the main sources of bias in the proper identification of agglomerationeffects. We also assess a variety of solutions that have beenproposed in the literature to deal with them.
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Suggested Citation

  • Pierre-Philippe Combes & Gilles Duranton & Laurent Gobillon, 2011. "The identification of agglomeration economies," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 11(2), pages 253-266, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jecgeo:v:11:y:2011:i:2:p:253-266
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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