weber model criticisms. contributions the founder of modern location theory. distinguished between...
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Weber ModelCriticisms
Contributions
• The founder of modern location theory.• Distinguished between ubiquitous and localized /
sporadic / fixed and gross and pure RM• Useful to distinguish between the orientations of
different industries• A useful conceptual instrument for understandin
g broad locational patterns of industries (macro-scale)
• Useful starting point for locational studies in industry
• Material index is useful as a general guideline.
Demerits
• What factors did Weber consider when constructing the theory?
• Do you think these factors are enough to explain the locations of industries?
• If not, what other factors do you think are important?
Demerit 1: not comprehensive enough to explain industrial location
• The Weber model only considers transport cost
• labour cost and agglomeration factors are the 2 deviational forces
• In reality, there are far more factors affecting industrial location• Geographical• Institutional / political• Behvioural• Environmental / social
Demerits
• Do you think that raw material sources are fixed points?
• Look at the real world. Does raw material source occur at point?
• If not, what pattern does it form?
Demerit 2: RM source does not occur in point
• Various primary industries, farming, fishing, foresty, mining, supply RM to processing industries occur in areas rather than at points• Farming region: S. China• Mining areas: coal mines in NE China• Forest: pine forest in Scandinavia
Demerits
• Do you think transport cost are directly proportional to the weight of freight carry?
• Do you think they have linear relationship?
Demerit 3: Unrealistic transport cost structure
• Transport costs / freight rates are not directly proportional to the weight of freight carried / distance or length of shipment.
• Transport costs tend to be stepped
Demerit 3: Unrealistic transport cost structure
• Transport costs tend to be tapering
• The per unit transport cost over a long distance is lower than that for a short distance
Demerits
• Comment on the types of transport available in Weber’s theory.
• Does it coincide with the real world?
Demerit 4: Variations in transport type used
• Transport cost differs according to the type of transport used
• Modern transport carriers nowadays are larger and faster, involving lower cost
Demerit 4: Variations in transport type used
• Road transport is more suitable for short-distance haul (steeper gradient)
• Rail transport is more suitable for medium-distance haul
• Sea transport is the cheapest for long-distance haul (gentler gradient)
• Therefore, when constructing isodapanes, the type of transport used should be specified.
Demerits
• “Movement of goods was equally easy over all forms of surfaces / topography” Do you agree with the above statement?
Demerit 5: Importance of transport cost declines
• The density of transport network varies with different modes of transport and with topography.
• Rail / road transport is more well-developed on flat land
• Sea transport is only well-developed in good ports / coastal locations
Demerits
• Do markets occur in fixed points in reality?
• How does modern technology modify the concept of market in real world?
Demerit 6: Markets are not fixed points
• Market areas in reality• Extent of market areas can be increa
sed by modern tele-communication technology
• Development of e-commerce leads to the globalization of markets
• Extension of market areas to overseas / unlimited market
Demerits
• Does perfect competition occur in reality?
• Is the demand for goods the same with increasing distance from the plant?
Demerit 7:
• The existence of perfect competition is perhaps the most unrealistic of all the assumptions made by Weber
• Perfect competition assumes that demand is constant spatially. This is unrealistic as demand often decreases with increasing distance from the plant.
Demerits
• How did Weber describe the purpose of the industrialists?
• Do they share the same rationale in real world?
Demerit 8: Profit satisficers
• According to Weber, all industrialists are economic men, who aim at maximizing profits and minimizing production costs
• They are profit maximizers.• But many industrialists are actually
profit-satisficers. Job satisfaction is more important than profits.
Demerits
• Production costs and market prices of goods are constant according to Weber. Do you agree?
Demerit 9: costs and prices are dynamic in reality
• Production costs are affected by availability of labour, transport cost, land price…etc
• Prices of goods are affected by market demand which is fluctuating.
Demerit 10: Disregard locational interdependence of firms
• Firms are not independent in real world.
• Industries are interdependent and occur in groups / clusters but not one single point.
• Industrial clusters in PRD, China and SE Honshu, Japan
Demerit 11: Labour quality is more important than labour cost
• Weber only considers one aspect of labour: cost
• Labour quality?• Labour mobility?
How to assess the applicability of the model to reality?
• How does Weber consider transport, labour and agglomeration?
• Which aspect of these factors does Weber consider?
• Are they enough to reflect the reality?• If not, what new factors should be included t
o determine industrial locations?• Give examples to show that these factors ar
e more important than those mentioned by Weber.
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