A ranking of shopping centres using multiple branch numbers

Summary

The paper presents a new ranking of shopping centres in Great Britain based on the number of branches of durable multiple retailers found in each centre. The results are used to derive a functional retail hierarchy. There is found to be a clear distinction between Regional Centres containing stores and smaller District centres. A comparison with the 1971 Census of Distribution shows patterns of growth and decline. In urban areas with weak or split centres, the main centre was found to have risen in rank while the surrounding minor centres had lost rank.     

The analysis of customer density,tenant placement and coupling inside a shopping centre with GIS

The spatial arrangement of tenants is currently one of the main topics in shopping centre research. This paper shows how a Geographic Information System (GIS) can be used to analyse the tenant structure. Given the recommendations in the literature, the analysis may help to improve the situation within a certain shopping centre. Therefore, we introduce the variable clumping method and kernel density estimation into shopping centre research in order to analyse retail category concentrations, customer flows and coupling in a shopping centre. Applying these techniques to a German shopping centre showed that spatial concentration can be observed within the retail categories of food, health & body and fashion and that the pass ratio declines according to the distance from the central point of the shopping centre. Also, shops in the same retail category have higher coupling than those of different categories, and unexpectedly spatially separated shops have a slightly higher coupling than non-spatially separated ones. Overall, the use of GIS improves the quality and the speed of spatially based analysis, and thus should be used more frequently in scientific shopping centre research and shopping centre management.     

Shopping Behavior and Evaluation of Store Features: Perspectives from a Food Market in the Arabian Peninsula

ABSTRACT

Globally, the food retailing industry is seen as most dynamic and rapidly changing. In this paper we investigate the shopping behavior of shoppers in Saudi Arabia, the largest retail market in Arabian Peninsula. Using empirical research, this paper examines factors influencing shopping decisions and the attitude toward shopping of shoppers in Saudi Arabia. Comparisons based on demographic factors are also discussed. The article discusses the findings and makes recommendations to retail store management. Future research directions are also suggested.     

Consumer Choice of Retail Food Store Formats in Qingdao,China

Abstract

This study analyzes Chinese consumer behavior across different retail food store formats and how household demographics affect shopping behavior. A multivariate probit model with four categories of retail food store formats (wet markets, small grocery stores, supermarkets, and hypermarkets) in Quindao, China is estimated. The results indicate that the new hypermarkets are substitutes for supermarkets, but they do not compete extensively with wet markets and small grocery stores. Furthur development of various catagories of food shopping store formats is linked to store-owner characteristics, potential interrelations among existing retail formats, as well as consumers' demographics and shipping habits.     

The influence of valuation practices upon the price of vacant inner city land

Summary

Many earlier studies have provided useful statistical information on the extent of vacant land in British towns and cities, but few have attempted to relate land vacancy to the wider development process. This paper presents recent evidence from Inner Manchester which suggests that valuation practices operate to prevent inner city land prices from falling even in areas of apparent over‐supply. This creates a blockage in the development process. It is shown that asking prices for vacant sites currently on the market are often substantially in excess of the level of prices achieved in recent transactions. As the great waves of compulsory acquisition in Manchester are now over, the statutory rules of valuation do not account for this difference, although historic levels of value have been supported by recent local authority acquisitions by agreement. It is evident that the comparative method of valuation is unable to cope with few transactions or a declining economy, both of which characterize the inner city land market. As a result, inner city land prices appear to be revised downwards only slowly and reluctantly in response to lack of demand or excess supply.     

Marketing Premium Food Products in Emerging Economies

Abstract

Developing branded food products, that signal higher standards, presents a challenge to processors in newly emerging markets. Many studies have been conducted to learn about consumer awareness and willingness to pay for higher quality products with particular attention to local origin, organic, or environmentally friendly products in developed countries. This study focuses on attributes that may increase demand for domestic cheese in Macedonia. We find the willingness to pay to premiums for higher quality, taste, consistency and certified “safe” cheese is relatively high, and with respect to determining target markets, income, region, shopping behavior and various other demographics all help to delineate potential consumers of premium cheese.     

Editorial

Summary

The 1980s in France have seen a growing concern with the phenomenon of ’les friches industrielles’: derelict industrial land. The French have come late to a national recognition of this problem and in some way this is reflected in their analysis of the issues and their policies when contrasted with British experience. This article notes differences in the amount and types of dereliction apparent in France and Britain; discusses possible reasons for these differences; considers some aspects of French policy responses and concludes with possible lessons for British policymakers.     

Department of environment planning research for 1985/86

Summary

In a previous paper (Land Development Studies, 5, 145–177), the problems of measuring property markets were reviewed. Some of the problems discussed included the quality and quantity of data caused by the small number of transactions as a proportion of total stock of property, secrecy in the property market, and the individual nature of each property. These result in a reliance on subjective analysis of transaction data (to form value estimates) rather than the use of actual transactions to construct rental value indices.

This paper sets out the collection and analysis of data and the subsequent construction of shop rental value indices for the local property market of Nottingham which is situated in the East Midlands region of the UK.

The attempt to construct a long‐term data set (from 1910–86) highlights the problems of data availability and quality of information. It also highlights the problems associated with national and regional location indices which use one rent point within a centre to represent value movements across part or all of that centre. The Nottingham indices indicate a wide divergence of annual growth rates from different rent points within the centre and suggest that single point measurements should therefore be treated with caution.     

Recent trends in the supply of land for industrial development in Hong Kong: A case study in planned decentralization

Summary

Although free enterprise remains the dominant characteristic of the Hong Kong economy, new land supply is controlled largely by the Hong Kong Government. Rather than establish a detailed system of development plans and controls, the Government has been able to achieve substantial decentralization of housing and industry through the location of new land release. The evidence suggests that industrial developers have been willing to build and industrialists to locate in decentralized areas, especially those close to the main urban areas. Furthermore, although vacancy rates are generally higher and rental levels lower in decentralized compared to centralized locations, the extent of the differences over time is not as pronounced as might be expected. Indeed, the overall strength of demand for industrial land, other than in the recent slump, has necessitated special policies to protect land for low‐density industrial users in decentralized locations. As planned decentralization approaches completion, attention is beginning to focus upon redevelopment in the older urban areas and upon the consequences of the Sino‐British Joint Declaration of 1985. Overall, recent land policies in Hong Kong offer the British observer some useful indications of the impact of government intervention in land use on existing property markets.     

Book reviews

Development and the landowner: Analysis of the British experience. R. Goodchild and R. Munton, George Allen and Unwin, London, 1985. 224 pp., ISBN 0043 33021 5, £22.00

Affordable housing: new policies and the housing and mortgage markets. Kenneth T. Rosen. A Twentieth Century Fund Report, Ballinger Publishing Co., Cambridge, Massachusetts (distributed in UK by Harper & Row). 181 pp., £27.50     

The office development cycle in London

Summary

The paper examines the main features of the office market and the office development process in London, which is not only the largest office centre in the UK, but also in Europe as a whole. The discussion starts with the main factors which have contributed to the growth of London as a national and international office centre, concentrating in particular upon the main sources of demand for new office building. The cyclical nature of post‐war office development in London is described, illustrated by an examination of the relative trends in investment and development returns from new offices. The impact of the supply cycle upon the organization and funding of development, and upon its scale and location are then discussed, followed by a brief review of the impact of planning policy upon the office market. Finally, there is a review of the current situation at the end of the third post‐war cycle, and an assessment of the likely impact of new office technologies upon the demand for office space in the next development cycle during the late 1980s.     

Branding Food Culture: UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy

ABSTRACT

Although branding is a well-established practice in consumer goods marketing its application to intangibles is a relatively new activity. This article analyzes the co-branding between the United Nations and urban centers that are successful in becoming UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy. Cities with this status have the potential to generate benefits from enhanced brand image, with associated economic and social rewards. However, it requires ongoing investment to create awareness among potential tourists and investors and in the development of enhanced pride and coordination among city residents and businesses. Numerous cities are likely to join the existing five UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy over coming years as a result of efforts from UNESCO to raise its profile, alongside individual cities prioritizing food tourism in their economic development plans and increasing global importance of food security as evidenced by it being the theme for World Exposition being hosted by Italy in 2015.     

Retail planning policies in Scottish structure plans

Summary

This paper examines in detail the policy responses of planners, as seen in structure plan policy statements, to the challenge of a dynamic retail sector. The spatial scale of Scotland is taken to rectify the omission in previous work on planning and retailing which has been mainly Anglo‐centric in focus. Common themes from the structure plans are identified and analysed and the Scottish experience compared to the wider British context. The process of plan monitoring and policy review is examined to see if planners are meeting this challenge of retailing in a constructive way. The question is posed as to whether the traditional approach to retail planning, as exemplified in the structure plans, can now be maintained in the light of persistent attacks on the grounds of inadequacy and inappropriateness.     

Consumer Attitudes Toward Biotech Foods in China

Abstract

Based on a largescale survey in 11 cities, this study employs probit and logit models to estimate the effects of various explanatory variables on the likelihood of biotech food acceptance in China. Analyses focus on biotech soybean oil, input and outputtrait biotech rice, and livestock products fed with biotech corn.     

Real estate market efficiency

Summary

The application of modern portfolio theory to the investment in shares and bonds is integrally connected with the efficient market hypothesis. The requirement of multivariate normality of security returns is a sufficient condition for equilibrium asset pricing models such as the capital asset pricing model to theoretical work. Nevertheless the empirical relevance in decision making is firmly based on the efficiency of the capital market. If real estate investors are to avail themselves of these techniques it is first necessary to ensure the requirements of the efficient market hypothesis are satisfied in the context of the property market. This paper reports the results of such an inquiry into the British and Australian real estate markets.     

The role of local estate agents in the residential development process

Summary

The estate agent is usually seen and theorized as a gatekeeper responsible for directing certain people to certain parts of the city (Williams, 1976). However, estate agents are capable of performing many more functions other than simple house agency. This paper presents results from a series of structured interviews with housebuilders and estate agents carried out in Hertfordshire by a recent research project (Elson, 1982) which reveals the extent to which certain estate agents are involved with organizing land purchases for builders and negotiating development proposals through the planning system.     

Editorial

Summary

This paper examines the changing performance of cities, the effectiveness of their government and administration, and how the forces of renewal and revitalization might be mobilized in order to combat decline and foster growth. City performance and change is briefly reviewed by reference to shifts in urban structure, fluctuations in local economic climate and underlying trends in the employment base. The section on city government and administration looks at some of the problems which have beset local authorities over recent years, especially in respect of town planning and the provision of public infrastructure, and identifies a number of basic features that demonstrate an emerging pattern of success in city government. In arguing that innovation in renewal is the ultimate key to the survival of our urban society, the third section of this paper explores the directions and characteristics of innovation and refers to a number of examples drawn from American experience before making a plea for new agencies and mechanisms to effect regeneration. The final part summarizes some of the most important ingredients for the regeneration of our towns and cities.     

Telecommunications and the future of cities∗

Summary

This article examines the impact of new telecommunications technologies on urban growth and development. Contrary to the conventional wisdom, the author argues that new technologies are strengthening large ‘world cities’ that are centres for international finance and information services. The author describes the emerging telecommunications infrastructure in the US and analyses the distinctive roles of government and business in the planning and development of this infrastructure. Drawing upon data from major financial institutions, the author analyses the location of corporate headquarters and information processing centres. The conclusions suggest that there will be growing disparities between urban and rural telecommunications systems and the consequences for office development.     

Management problems of urban land development in Nigeria: A case of the Kano State Urban Development Board

Summary

This paper presents the major findings of an empirical investigation on the shortcomings of the Kano State Urban Development Board in managing the development and use of new urban land. From generalizations on the factors which have hamstrung the Board's effectiveness in three separate cases it appears that the major issues centre around long‐standing contradictions in legislation. These may be difficult to remove at the moment but in the interest of effective land development management something has to be done.     

Administrative restructuring and land-use intensity—A spatial explicit perspective

BackgroundThe rapid industrialization, urbanization, and population explosion have ushered forth the era focusing on the efficient use of land resources to achieve sustainable development. “Intensive Land-Use Plan” was therefore proposed in the context of shifting the focus from “incremental planning” to “inventory planning” in rapidly developing countries, particularly China.MethodsWe develop our framework based on the hypothesis that administrative status has a spatial effect on intensive land use and explore this effect dynamically. In the first step, we summarized the different degrees of land-use intensity based on different administrative status (i.e., urban district, suburban district, county, county-level city, and district) and make categorizations. We also devised spatial models in multiple strategies embedded with different spatial weight matrices to the underlying driving forces using Wuhan agglomeration as the case.ResultsResults show that 1) urbanization, industrial structure, and retail sales of consumer goods are highly correlated with land-use intensity change, with all factors being positive; 2) the influences of different administrative status exist and strengthened in the past decade; the spatial interaction is greater when urban district is adjacent to district in the prefecture city in 2005 and 2015. In turn, this finding affirms the phenomenon that the administrative power has gradually strengthened, and the city centers are the most vibrant areas to compete for higher land-use efficiency.RecommendationThe emergence of diversified types of counties, such as urban districts and county-level cities, has further pressed the necessity to embed administrative influence in spatial regression. These findings provide theoretical basis for understanding the administrative dimension in new urbanization and have important policy implications on administrative adjustment and intensive land use.