TY - JOUR
T1 - Beyond Polycentricity
T2 - Does Stronger Integration Between Cities in Polycentric Urban Regions Improve Performance?
AU - Meijers, Evert
AU - Hoogerbrugge, Marloes
AU - Ordonhas Viseu Cardoso, R.
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - A quarter of the European population lives in 'polycentric urban regions' (PURs): clusters of historically and administratively distinct but proximate and well-connected cities of relatively similar size. This paper explores whether tighter integration can increase agglomeration benefits at the PUR-level. We provide the first comprehensive list of European PURs (117 in total), establish their level of functional, institutional and cultural integration and measure whether this affects their performance. 'Performance' is defined as the extent to which urbanisation economies have developed, proxied by the presence of metropolitan functions. In this first-ever cross-sectional analysis of PURs we find that while there is evidence for all dimensions of integration having a positive effect, particularly functional integration has great significance. Regarding institutional integration, it appears that having some form of metropolitan co-operation is more important than its exact shape. Theoretically, our results substantiate the assumption that networks may substitute for proximity.
AB - A quarter of the European population lives in 'polycentric urban regions' (PURs): clusters of historically and administratively distinct but proximate and well-connected cities of relatively similar size. This paper explores whether tighter integration can increase agglomeration benefits at the PUR-level. We provide the first comprehensive list of European PURs (117 in total), establish their level of functional, institutional and cultural integration and measure whether this affects their performance. 'Performance' is defined as the extent to which urbanisation economies have developed, proxied by the presence of metropolitan functions. In this first-ever cross-sectional analysis of PURs we find that while there is evidence for all dimensions of integration having a positive effect, particularly functional integration has great significance. Regarding institutional integration, it appears that having some form of metropolitan co-operation is more important than its exact shape. Theoretically, our results substantiate the assumption that networks may substitute for proximity.
KW - Europe
KW - Metropolitan governance
KW - Transportation
KW - Urban systems
KW - Urbanisation economies
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85035037710&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/tesg.12292
DO - 10.1111/tesg.12292
M3 - Article
SN - 0040-747X
VL - 109 (2018)
SP - 1
EP - 21
JO - Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie
JF - Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie
IS - 1
ER -