A simple model of economic geography ˆ la Helpman-Tabuchi

Yasusada Murata and Jacques Thisse ()

No 2005017, Discussion Papers (ECON - Département des Sciences Economiques) from Université catholique de Louvain, Département des Sciences Economiques

Abstract: This paper explores the interplay between commoditiesÕ transportation costs and workersÕ commuting costs within a general equilibrium framework ˆ la Dixit-Stiglitz. Workers are mobile and choose a region where to work as well as an intraurban location to live. We sow that a more integrated economy need not be more agglomerated. Instead, low transportation costs lead to the dispersion of economic activities. This is because workers are able to alleviate the burden of urban costs by being dispersed, while retaining a good access to all varieties. By contrast, low commuting costs foster the agglomeration of economic activities.

Keywords: Commuting costs; urban costs; transportation costs; economic geography; agglomeration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F12 R12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-geo and nep-ure
Date: 2004-09-14, Revised 2005-02-15
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Related works:
Working Paper: A simple model of economic geography ˆ la Helpman-Tabuchi (2005)
Working Paper: A Simple Model of Economic Geography à la Helpman-Tabuchi (2005)
Journal Article: A simple model of economic geography a la Helpman-Tabuchi (2005)
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Persistent link: http://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ctl:louvec:2005017

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