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Labour Specialization and City Formation

Author

Listed:
  • Berliant, Marcus
  • Zenou, Yves

Abstract

This paper explores the formation of cities through labour specialization, gains to trade, a fixed cost for the transportation network, imperfect competition between firms, and the commuting costs of consumers. The model uses a very general setting, allowing a multidimensional location space and multiple firms using different types of labour to produce different outputs. Locations of all agents are endogenous as are prices and quantities. Firms play a Nash location game among themselves, anticipating the locations of consumers, but taking prices as given. Within this framework, we characterize the spatial configuration of firms in equilibrium. Whether or not equilibrium exists and whether or not it is locally unique depends crucially on the relative numbers of outputs, types of labour and firms. Finally, both welfare theorems fail in this model.

Suggested Citation

  • Berliant, Marcus & Zenou, Yves, 1995. "Labour Specialization and City Formation," CEPR Discussion Papers 1270, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:1270
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    Cited by:

    1. Michel Houdebine, 1999. "Concentration géographique des activités et spécialisation des départements français," Économie et Statistique, Programme National Persée, vol. 326(1), pages 189-204.
    2. Ronald Cossman & Jeralynn Cossman & Arthur Cosby & Rebel Reavis, 2008. "Reconsidering the Rural–Urban Continuum in Rural Health Research: A Test of Stable Relationships Using Mortality as a Health Measure," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 27(4), pages 459-476, August.
    3. Yves Zenou, 1996. "Marché du travail et économie urbaine. Essai d'intégration," Revue Économique, Programme National Persée, vol. 47(2), pages 263-288.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Endogenous City Formation; General Equilibrium; Labour Specialization; Transportation Network;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D50 - Microeconomics - - General Equilibrium and Disequilibrium - - - General
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • R14 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Land Use Patterns

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