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Even Important Connections Are Not Always Meaningful: On The Use Of A Polarisation Measure In A Typology Of European Cities In Air Transport Networks

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  • NATHALIE VAN NUFFEL
  • BEN DERUDDER
  • FRANK WITLOX

Abstract

This paper aims to refine existing approaches for classifying nodes in spatial networks. Apart from generally used variables measuring (i) the total connectivity of a node and (ii) the spatial make‐up of this total connectivity, we argue that a third indicator should be taken into account when describing the structure of a spatial network, namely, (iii) the degree of ‘polarisation’ in a node's connectivity configuration. We measure ‘polarisation’ by applying multiple linkage analysis, a technique that allows determining the number of meaningful connections for each node in the network. In this paper, we illustrate this approach by clustering 65 European cities based on their insertion in European air transport networks in 2005. The number of meaningful flows of a city is hereby considered alongside both traditional measures of connectivity. The results of the cluster analysis suggest that including a measure of polarisation may indeed lead to a more satisfying typology.

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  • Nathalie Van Nuffel & Ben Derudder & Frank Witlox, 2010. "Even Important Connections Are Not Always Meaningful: On The Use Of A Polarisation Measure In A Typology Of European Cities In Air Transport Networks," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 101(3), pages 333-348, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:tvecsg:v:101:y:2010:i:3:p:333-348
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9663.2009.00547.x
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    1. Yang, Chih-Wen, 2016. "Entry effect of low-cost carriers on airport-pairs demand model using market concentration approach," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 291-297.
    2. Pacheco, Ricardo Rodrigues & Braga, Márcia Estrada & Fernandes, Elton, 2015. "Spatial concentration and connectivity of international passenger traffic at Brazilian airports," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 49-55.
    3. César Ducruet & Theo E. Notteboom, 2012. "The worldwide maritime network of container shipping: Spatial structure and regional dynamics," Post-Print halshs-00538051, HAL.
    4. Dai, Liang & Derudder, Ben & Liu, Xingjian, 2018. "Transport network backbone extraction: A comparison of techniques," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 271-281.
    5. Liu, Xingjian & Derudder, Ben & García, Cándida Gago, 2013. "Exploring the co-evolution of the geographies of air transport aviation and corporate networks," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 26-36.

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