APHG Chapter 12 - Key Issue 2

Define periodic market.

A collection of individual vendors who come together to offer goods and services in a location on specified days.

Define central place.

A market center for the exchange of services by people attracted from the surrounding area

Define central place theory.

A theory that explains the distribution of services based on the fact that settlements serve as centers of market area for services; larger settlements are fewer and farther apart than smaller settlements and provide services for a larger number of people who are willing to travel further.

Not all people within a market area can be counted when determining location of a service by considering its threshold. Why not? Give examples.

Certain services may only appeal to certain consumer groups. Example - chiropractors (older crowd), thrift stores (poorer people), amusements parks (families with children), nightclubs (singles)...

Why does central place theory use hexagons to delineate market areas?

Circles overlap or leave gaps. Square sides are not equidistant from the center. Hexagons are a compromise.

What types of services generally have shorter ranges?

Everyday consumer services such as groceries, pharmacies...

What does central place theory seek to explain?

Helps explain how the most profitable location for a new shop can be identified.

What groups of people and areas are provided goods by periodic markets?

LDCs and rural areas.

What types of services can support long ranges?

Less frequent or more special services such as ball games, concerts, amusement parks...

How does the frequency of periodic markets vary by culture?

Muslim countries - once weekly in each of six cities and day of rest on Friday. Rural China - 10-day cycle in 3 cities in lunar month. Korea - two 15-day cycles in lunar month. Africa - markets every 3-7 days.

What is the gravity model?

Predicts that the optimal location of a service is directly related to the number of people in the area and inversely related to the distance people must travel to access it. The best location will be the one that minimizes the distances that all potential customers must travel to reach the service.

Describe the thresholds, ranges and market areas of small settlements. How about larger settlements? How about smaller neighborhoods within larger settlements?

Small settlements have services with small thresholds, shorter ranges and small market areas. Larger settlements have larger thresholds, ranges and market areas. Services within smaller neighborhoods provide services that have small thresholds and ranges.

What is a market area?

The area surrounding a central place from which people are attracted to use the place's goods and services.

Define range (of a service)

The maximum distance people are willing to travel to use a service.

Define threshold.

The minimum number of people needed to support a service.

According to geographers, where is the best location for a service (once range and threshold have justified its viability)?

a specific region with proximity to customers

What shape does central place theory hypothesize for market areas?

hexagons

What other term is sometimes used to refer to a market area?

hinterland

Explain how the two components of central place theory: range and threshold, together determine the profitability of new services.

1. Compute the range in minutes and use that as the radius. 2. Compute the threshold (# of people). 3. Draw a circle around the proposed location. Count the number of people within the circle. #3 should equal or exceed #2 for location to be profitable (exceed if competition).

What steps do geographers follow when applying the gravity model to find the best location in an area?

1. Identify possible site. 2. Within the range, identify where every potential user lives. 3. Measure distance from possible site to every possible user. 4. Divide each potential user by the distance. 5. Add all together 6. Repeat with other possible locations. 7. Compare. Highest score is best.

According to the gravity model, what two patterns are reflected by consumer behavior?

1. The more people in that space, the more potential customers. 2. The farther people are away, the less likely they will use the service.