Urban Structure and the Labour Market

In the modern world, most people live and work in cities and most social and economic issues have significant urban dimensions. Considerable attention has been devoted to understanding where people live in cities and how residential location affects urban activity. However, relatively little attention has been given to the supplementary question of what determines where people work in cities. This book addresses the question of workplace in cities. It provides a theory, based on modern labour economics, that complements the residential location theory at the core of modern urban studies. The book also indicates why analysis of workplace location matters in assessing spatial structure, commuting patterns, underemployment and slum formation in cities. It provides a non-technical, non-mathematical exposition aimed to be suitable for all students and researchers of urban, regional and labour issues, plus a separate, concise mathematical treatment. The text also blends theoretical analysis with empirical evidence, especially from transportation survey microdata.