Unit 6 & 7 Vocabulary

Agglomeration

The clustering of businesses and industries in a specific area to take advantage of shared resources and infrastructure.

Asian Tigers

Refers to the economies of Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan, known for their rapid industrialization and high growth rates from the 1960s to 1990s.

Back Offices

Operations that support but do not face customers, often outsourced to lower-cost locations to reduce overhead costs.

Basic and non-basic

Basic industries bring money into the local economy, while non-basic industries circulate money within the economy.

Blockbusting

A practice in real estate where agents convince homeowners to sell their properties at low prices by instilling fear of incoming minority populations, then reselling at higher prices.

Borchert’s 4 Epochs

A model describing the evolution of urban transportation in the U.S., including sail-wagon, iron horse, steel rail, and auto-air-amenity epochs.

Breaking Point

The outer limit of a city's sphere of influence where an individual will stop traveling for goods or services due to cost or convenience.

Break-of-bulk point

A location where transfer among transportation modes occurs, which can lead to lower transportation costs.

Bulk Gaining Industry

An industry that produces goods that weigh more after production (e.g., soft drink) and thus are located near the market.

Bulk Reducing Industry

An industry that produces goods that weigh less after production (e.g., copper) and is located near the raw materials.

CBD (Central Business District)

The commercial and business center of a city, characterized by high land values and a concentration of business and commerce.

Census tract

A statistical subdivision of a county that is used for census purposes, usually containing around 4,000 people.

Central Place Theory

A spatial theory in urban geography that seeks to explain the size and distribution of human settlements by their economic functions.

Concentric Zone Model

A model of urban land use that depicts a city as a series of concentric rings, each representing different land uses.

Conglomerate corporations

Corporations that own a collection of diverse companies across multiple industries, often to mitigate risk.

Cottage Industry

Small-scale, decentralized manufacturing typically conducted in homes rather than factories, often involving artisanal goods.

Daily urban system

The extent of daily travel and economic interactions that occur within a metropolitan area, including commuting patterns.

DeBiji Model

A model that illustrates the development patterns of cities, especially in India, emphasizing the relationship between urban and rural areas.

Deglomeration

The process of moving away from concentration in large urban centers, often due to high costs and competition.

Deindustrialization

The decline of industrial activity in a region, often resulting in job losses and shifts towards service-oriented economies.

Density Gradient

The change in population density in an urban area as one moves from the center to the periphery.

Dispersed settlements

Pattern of settlement where houses and buildings are spread out, often seen in rural areas.

Economic base

The primary industries that drive the economy of a region, providing jobs and income.

Ecotourism

Sustainable tourism focused on natural environments, promoting conservation and reducing impact on local ecosystems.

Edge Cities

Suburban areas that have developed into significant urban centers, often with business and retail hubs outside the urban core.

Favelas, barrio

Informal settlements typically characterized by inadequate infrastructure and services found in urban areas of developing countries.

Footloose industries

Industries that are not tied to specific locations based on resource availability or transport, allowing them to locate anywhere.

Fordism/Post-Fordism

Fordism refers to mass production using assembly lines, while Post-Fordism emphasizes flexibility, customization, and lean manufacturing.

Forward capitals

A city relocated to a new area as a forward administrative center, intended to promote development in that region.

Functional specialization

The concept of cities or areas specializing in certain economic activities, enhancing efficiency and production.

Gentrification

The process whereby higher-income individuals move into lower-income neighborhoods, leading to increased property values and displacement of existing residents.

Ghettoization

The process of a particular group being confined to a specific area, often associated with socioeconomic disadvantages.

Global Assembly Line

The process of producing goods in different locations around the world, taking advantage of local labor and resources.

Gravity Model

A model that predicts the interaction between two cities based on their populations and distance apart, akin to the law of gravitation.

Greenbelt

An area of open land around a city maintained for recreational use, preventing urban sprawl and protecting the environment.

Griffin-Ford Model

A model illustrating the layout of urban areas in developing countries, showcasing a blend of traditional and modern elements.

Growth Pole

Economic development that attracts further investment and growth, often resulting in a spatial concentration of activities.

Hinterland

The area that surrounds a city and supports it economically, often providing raw materials and labor.

Hotelling Theory of Spatial Competition

A theory that explains how businesses position themselves relative to competitors in order to maximize their market share.

Hoyt Sector Model

A model that describes urban land use in sectors radiating from the city center, often based on transportation routes.

Industrial Revolution

The period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries marked by the transition to new manufacturing processes, influencing urban growth and economic shifts.

Investor flight

The trend where investors move their capital out of a particular area due to unfavorable market conditions.

Just in time delivery

An inventory strategy that aims to reduce waste by receiving goods only as they are needed in production.

Location Theory

The study of how location affects economic activity and decision-making in both agriculture and industry.

Maquiladora

A factory in Mexico that assembles imported materials into finished goods for export, often operating under favorable economic conditions.

McGee Model

A model that describes the land use of Southeast Asian cities, highlighting the mixing of various cultures and functions.

Medical tourism

Traveling to another country for healthcare services due to lower costs or superior quality.

Mega city

A metropolitan area with over 10 million inhabitants, often associated with rapid urbanization.

Megalopolis

A large-scale city formation consisting of multiple metropolitan areas that are interconnected.

Metropolitan Area Digital Divide

The gap in access to information technology and the internet within urban areas, often reflecting socioeconomic disparities.

MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area)

A geographical region with a high population density and close economic ties throughout the area.

Minimills

Smaller steel production facilities using electric arc furnaces to recycle scrap steel into new products, often resulting in less environmental impact.

Multiple Nuclei Model

A model that proposes cities have multiple centers or nodes, each catering to different functions and populations.

Multiplier Effect

The concept that an initial change in spending (like a new factory) will lead to a larger increase in economic activity in the overall economy.

New International Division of Labor

The outsourcing of jobs and production to countries offering lower wages and operational costs.

Offshore Financial Centers

Regions that provide financial services to non-residents, often with low taxation and regulatory environments.

Peripheral Model

A model of urban development emphasizing the impact of peripheral areas on metropolitan growth and structure.

Primate City Rule

A city that is much larger and more influential than any others in the country, often drawing population and economic resources.

Racial Steering

The practice of real estate agents guiding clients towards or away from certain neighborhoods based on race.

Range

The maximum distance consumers are willing to travel to purchase a good or service.

Rank-size Rule

A principle that states the population of a city will be inversely proportional to its rank position in the urban hierarchy.

Redlining

A discriminatory practice where services (like banking) are denied to residents of certain areas based on racial or ethnic composition.

Right to Work Laws

Laws that prohibit union security agreements and guarantee that employees are not obliged to join a union.

Rostow Model

A theory of economic development that outlines five stages of growth that countries experience, moving from traditional to modern economies.

Rust Belt

The region in the U.S. characterized by declining industry and rising unemployment, particularly in manufacturing sectors.

SEZ (Special Economic Zones)

Designated areas in a country where business and trade laws differ from the rest of the country, often attracting foreign investment.

Single Market Manufacturers

Companies that produce goods tailored for a specific use within a single market, emphasizing efficiency over volume.

Site Factors, Situation Factors

Site factors are the physical characteristics of a location, while situation factors refer to the location's relation to other places.

Social Area Analysis

A method to study the spatial structure of urban areas by analyzing demographic data and social characteristics.

Squatter Settlement

An informal housing area where residents occupy land without legal rights, typically lacking basic services.

Subsidized Housing

Housing assisted with financial support from the government to lower rents and increase affordability for low-income individuals.

Tariffs

Taxes imposed on imported goods to protect domestic industries and revenue.

Tax Abatement

A reduction in taxes granted by the government to encourage investment in certain areas or sectors.

Tax Havens

Countries or regions offering minimal tax liabilities to attract foreign businesses and investment.

Telecommuting

Working remotely from a location outside the traditional office, made possible by technology.

Threshold

The minimum market size required for a business to operate successfully.

Unplanned city

Urban areas that develop without a clear planning process, often resulting in chaotic and inefficient land use.

Urban Banana

A conceptual model representing urbanization patterns from the northeastern U.S. through Western Europe and into Japan.

Urban Hierarchy

The classification of cities into different levels based on population size, economic influence, and functions.

Urban Realms Model

A model portraying cities as comprised of multiple, interacting realms, each functioning semi-independently.

Urban Sprawl

The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into the surrounding rural land, often characterized by low-density development.

Vertical Geography

The study of the cultural, economic, and environmental differences that occur at different elevations in mountainous regions.

Weber Least Cost Theory

A theory outlining the optimal location of a manufacturing plant based on minimizing transportation, labor, and agglomeration costs.

World City

A city with significant international influence, often being a major center for finance, culture, and politics on a global scale.

Wallerstein’s World Systems Theory

A theory that views the world as a complex system divided into core, semi-periphery, and periphery nations based on economic and political power.

Zoning Laws

Regulations that govern how land in a particular area can be used, influencing urban form and development patterns.