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Diversification, specialization, convergence and divergence of sectoral employment structures in the British urban system, 1991-2001

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  • Dan O'Donoghue
  • Ivan Townshend

Abstract

O'Donoghue D. and Townshend I. J. (2005) Diversification, specialization, convergence and divergence of sectoral employment structures in the British urban system, 1991-2001, Regional Studies 39 , 585-601. This paper examines the changing employment structure of 150 travel-to-work areas (TTWAs) in Britain from 1991 to 2001. Using data from the Annual Employment Survey and the Annual Business Inquiry, 20 sectors of economic activity are defined and investigated. The analysis clearly identifies the continued shift away from primary and manufacturing employment as increasingly more people are employed in the so-called service-based and informational economy. Clear spatial patterns emerge associated with employment change across sectors and these are also explored. Given the changing pattern of employment and the spatial characteristics of each sector, new patterns of specialization and diversification are expected to emerge. The analysis identifies these patterns and places their explanation into the context of changing technology and skills. It becomes clear that at an urban system level there is a weak convergent trend across urban system. However, when the largest places are examined separately, it is apparent that the largest urban areas in Britain appear to have employment structures that are divergent from the rest of the urban system. This highlights the changing roles played by larger cities in Britain and has obvious implications for local labour markets and policy in those places.

Suggested Citation

  • Dan O'Donoghue & Ivan Townshend, 2005. "Diversification, specialization, convergence and divergence of sectoral employment structures in the British urban system, 1991-2001," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(5), pages 585-601.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:regstd:v:39:y:2005:i:5:p:585-601
    DOI: 10.1080/00343400500151830
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. John Dewhurst & Philip McCann, 2007. "Specialization and Regional Size," Chapters, in: Bernard Fingleton (ed.), New Directions in Economic Geography, chapter 7, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    2. Attaran, Mohsen, 1986. "Industrial Diversity and Economic Performance in U.S. Areas," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 20(2), pages 44-54, July.
    3. W.F. Lever, 1991. "Deindustrialisation and the Reality of the Post-industrial City," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 28(6), pages 983-999, December.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Paul Bishop & Peter Gripaios, 2007. "Explaining Spatial Patterns of Industrial Diversity: An Analysis of Sub-regions in Great Britain," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 44(9), pages 1739-1757, August.
    2. Andrew Robert Watkins, 2009. "The Dynamics of Urban Economies: Melbourne 1971 to 2006," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 46(8), pages 1553-1576, July.
    3. Longhi, Christian & Musolesi, Antonio & Baumont, Catherine, 2014. "Modeling structural change in the European metropolitan areas during the process of economic integration," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 395-407.
    4. Margherita Carlucci & Ilaria Zambon & Luca Salvati, 2020. "Diversification in urban functions as a measure of metropolitan complexity," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 47(7), pages 1289-1305, September.
    5. Luca Salvati & Margherita Carlucci, 2020. "Shaping Dimensions of Urban Complexity: The Role of Economic Structure and Socio-Demographic Local Contexts," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 147(1), pages 263-285, January.
    6. Tony Chapman, 2011. "Smoke and Mirrors," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 48(5), pages 1037-1057, April.
    7. Mill�n D�az-Foncea & Carmen Marcuello, 2014. "The Relation between Total Employment and Cooperative Employment: A Convergence and Causality Analysis," Spatial Economic Analysis, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(1), pages 71-92, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Specialization; Diversification; Convergence; Divergence; Urban System; Employment structure; Specialisation; Diversification; Convergence; Divergence; Systeme urbain; Structure de l'emploi; Spezializierung; Diversifizierung; Konvergenz; Divergenz; Stadtsystem; Erwerbstatigskeitsstrukturen; Especializacion; Diversificacion; Convergencia; Divergencia; Sistema urbano; Estructura de empleo; JEL classifications: J21; R11; R12;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)

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