Industrial location and regional change: The United States and New York State

Abstract

Young R. C. (1986) Industrial location and regional change: the United States and New York State, Reg. Studies 20, 341–369. A systematic evaluation of industrial location factors derived from cost-minimizing theory is made for the forty-eight contiguous United States and for fifty-two New York counties. In both cases this theory is found wanting. Rather, macro-theories of regional change provide better explanations. Industry is dispersing from the larger, older cities of the industrial heartland and going to ‘empty’ areas that provide a ‘clean slate’ of industrial, political and economic relations. Ageing areas result in a push away from the aged infrastructure, social pathology, and high costs of older urban areas. New regions and nonmetropolitan areas free from these are attractive if they are accessible by highway to urban services. In addition, exports are found to be of importance in both the states and the counties. Massive flows of government help to the South have led to what is best characterized as dependent development, similar to that of the less developed nations.