Production Systems And Hierarchies Of Centres

The research reported in this book began as part of a Ph.D. dissertation submitted to the University of Pittsburgh in 1976. Revisions were accomp lished at Florida International University in Miami. There have been many people who were instrumental in the formation and completion of this research. The contributions made by Jack Ochs are far too numerous to mention. Jack's insights and suggestions will always be appreciated. I am also grateful to Melvin Greenhut, David Houston, Tatsuhiko Kawashima, Asatoshi Maeshiro, William Miernyk, Josephine Olson, Peter Nijkamp and Harry Richardson who read and critically re viewed earlier manuscripts. I am doubly indebted to Harry Richardson who initially suggested this investigation. Special thanks are in order for Gene Gruver, Peter Montiel, Randy Miller and James Wheller for always finding the time to hear out many of my arguments. In addition, I appreci ate the valuable suggestions they made as well. I am grateful, moreover, to Janice Carlino who most generously gave of herself to assist in this in any way she could. Janice not only helped with data preparation and with typing-entire drafts of earlier manuscripts, but, more importantly, showed an unusual degree oftolerance toward one for whom the research effort is not the most tranquil of experiences.

Information Control Problems in Manufacturing Technology 1979 is a compilation of papers presented at the second IFAC/IFIP Symposium held at Stuttgart, Germany on October 22-24, 1979. The book discusses the following topics: flexible manufacturing systems research; information processing in large and small systems; materials handling in a manufacturing system; control requirements in industrial robot use; and quality assurance in automated manufacturing processes. The text gives an overview of the Integrated Computer Aided Manufacturing program employed in aerospace batch manufacturing. One paper then presents a research and development program of Japan pertaining to use of lasers in a flexible manufacturing system complex. Another paper discusses the development and set-up of two flexible and different manufacturing systems; the paper also explains the appropriate information processing system that will control such complicated manufacturing processes. Another paper presents the advances in computers for quality control applications that are expected through lower hardware costs and better utilization of statistical methods. Mechanical engineers, technical designers, and students with serious interest in automatic control and computer-aided systems will find this book valuable.

The decade of the 1970's has seen substantial improvement in our under standing of the determinants of urban spatial patterns. It is typical of western science and technology of the past several centuries that these advances in urban spatial analysis have resulted from the efforts of many individuals. No one of these claims to have found the answer; rather, each contributes some additional understanding of a rather complex set of inter related phenomena. All of this most recent work, in one way or another, rests on preliminary analysis work done in the previous ten to fifteen years. Those earlier efforts are the subject of this book. A very few studies of urban spatial patterns were done prior to 1960. However, it was not until then, with the coming of age of electronic data processing machinery, that work began in earnest. Many theories and theoretical models of urban form were postulated, and some were tested. Often the tests were inconclusive or unsuccessful. The theories often lacked consistency and coherence. Some of the testing was inadequate or even inappropriate. Much of the research was done amidst the turmoil (and sometimes chaos) of attempted (and often premature) application. The results were frequently incompletely described, if described at all. Yet, out of all this, there began to emerge some clearer notion of the determinants of urban spatial patterns.

This book is the product of research which I undertook for my doc toral thesis. The project was started whilst I was at the Free Univer sity of Amsterdam, and the State University of Groningen gave me ample opportunity to complete the work. At both universities I was lucky enough to find kind colleagues who were willing to perform my teaching tasks, enabling me to spend much of my time some of on my research. I should like to thank Wietze Boomsma, Kees van den Hoeven and Jan Oosterhaven for their kind help. I was also most encouraged to discover several students at both institutions who were interested in the research topic. This meant that some research could be performed with their co-operation, which proved most stimulating. Harry ter Braak and Henk van Metelen were especially enthusiastic helpers. During the initial stage of research, Fons Bertens did a great deal of meticulous work, with never a com plaint. In the final stages, Arend Stemerding helped me greatly. The completed manuscript was read by Nol Merkies and Peter Nijkamp, who had some helpful comments on the contents. Pro fessor Nijkamp succeeded in stimulating me during the research by his interest in the project and subsequent edifying discussions. Several persons helped to type the manuscript, but Yvonne van Tuyl took the lion's share, typing a perfect final copy in record time.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the alternative growth paths open to a region under various policies designed to control the growth oftour ism. This is motivated by the current interest of decision-makers in con trolling the growth of tourism. Such interest and any policies which emanate from it may prove detrimental unless a thorough understanding of the consequences of these policies are the foundation upon which the decisions are made. The study consists of four parts, each is written by an author or a group of authors. Thus, while the logical sequence of the parts and the feedbacks among them unify the study, the methodology adopted in each is different, reflecting the diversity and dexterity of forecasting techniques in econo mics. This variety of techniques is desirable in itself as it exposes the reader to some of the alternative approaches. In chapter 1, the theory of regional growth, and in particular the dis tinction between the supply-based and the demand-based models, is dis cussed. The role played by natural resource constraints is shown to be absent from both types of models, and it is argued that this role can be investigated by considering the alternative growth paths available to the region through variations in the rate oftuilization of the resource. To ac complish that, however, a model of regional growth is needed. The empiri cal evidence provided favour a demand-type model. A model of this type is developed and utilized in succeeding parts of the study.