IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jotrge/v18y2010i3p393-401.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Exploring job accessibility in the transformation context: an institutionalist approach and its application in Beijing

Author

Listed:
  • Zhao, Pengjun
  • Lu, Bin

Abstract

There is a strong need to explore the determinants of worker’s commuting time as the declines in job accessibility associated with the dramatic growth of commuting time have become a serious negative effect on the quality of urban life in megacities of China. Most well-developed theories exploring change in commuting time are based on neo-classical economic theory. This paper argues however that in the case of China institutional factors of the housing provision system and labour mobility management have been more important. The paper conceptualizes an institutionalist approach incorporating housing and controls over labour mobility and applies it to analyse these influences on workers’ commuting time in Beijing. The analysis shows that the interaction of housing provision, the market system and the Hukou system together have significant impact upon individual commuting time allowing for worker’s annual household income, occupation and transport mode. The findings suggest that the market-oriented housing reforms have changed the local jobs–housing balance that prevailed in pre-reform era and have thus induced growth of commuting time; the remaining the unfair treatment of residents according to their Hukou status may influence the floating worker’s ability to connect housing and workplace opportunities that could reduce commuting time. With respect to future studies, the institutionalist approach seems to be an efficient means of exploring particular factors that emerge in the transformation of an economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhao, Pengjun & Lu, Bin, 2010. "Exploring job accessibility in the transformation context: an institutionalist approach and its application in Beijing," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 18(3), pages 393-401.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jotrge:v:18:y:2010:i:3:p:393-401
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2009.06.011
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0966692309000969
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2009.06.011?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fulong Wu, 1996. "Changes in the Structure of Public Housing Provision in Urban China," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 33(9), pages 1601-1627, November.
    2. Si-ming Li, 2000. "Housing Consumption in Urban China: A Comparative Study of Beijing and Guangzhou," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 32(6), pages 1115-1134, June.
    3. Gavin Cameron & John Muellbauer, 1998. "The Housing Market and Regional Commuting and Migration Choices," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 45(4), pages 420-446, September.
    4. Zhong-Ren Peng, 1997. "The Jobs-Housing Balance and Urban Commuting," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 34(8), pages 1215-1235, July.
    5. Robin Dubin, 1991. "Commuting Patterns and Firm Decentralization," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 67(1), pages 15-29.
    6. repec:bla:scotjp:v:45:y:1998:i:4:p:420-46 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. David Levinson & Ajay Kumar, 1994. "The Rational Locator: Why Travel Times Have Remained Stable," Working Papers 199402, University of Minnesota: Nexus Research Group.
    8. Genevieve Giuliano & Kenneth A. Small, 1993. "Is the Journey to Work Explained by Urban Structure?," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 30(9), pages 1485-1500, November.
    9. Hausman,Daniel M., 1992. "The Inexact and Separate Science of Economics," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521425230, December.
    10. Meng,Xin, 2009. "Labour Market Reform in China," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521121118, October.
    11. Gordon, Peter & Kumar, Ajay & Richardson, Harry W., 1989. "The influence of metropolitan spatial structure on commuting time," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 138-151, September.
    12. P Gordon & H L Wong, 1985. "The Costs of Urban Sprawl: Some New Evidence," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 17(5), pages 661-666, May.
    13. Youqin Huang, 2004. "The road to homeownership: a longitudinal analysis of tenure transition in urban China (1949–94)," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(4), pages 774-795, December.
    14. Anne Haila, 2007. "The Market as the New Emperor," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(1), pages 3-20, March.
    15. Hausman,Daniel M., 1992. "The Inexact and Separate Science of Economics," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521415019, December.
    16. Wang, Donggen & Chai, Yanwei, 2009. "The jobs–housing relationship and commuting in Beijing, China: the legacy of Danwei," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 17(1), pages 30-38.
    17. Ya Ping Wang & Yanglin Wang & Glen Bramley, 2005. "Chinese Housing Reform in State-owned Enterprises and Its Impacts on Different Social Groups," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 42(10), pages 1859-1878, September.
    18. Oliver E. Williamson, 2000. "The New Institutional Economics: Taking Stock, Looking Ahead," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 38(3), pages 595-613, September.
    19. C Cindy Fan, 2001. "Migration and Labor-Market Returns in Urban China: Results from a Recent Survey in Guangzhou," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 33(3), pages 479-508, March.
    20. Ya Ping Wang & Alan Murie, 1999. "Commercial Housing Development in Urban China," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 36(9), pages 1475-1494, August.
    21. Andy C. Pratt, 1996. "Coordinating Employment, Transport and Housing in Cities: An Institutional Perspective," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 33(8), pages 1357-1375, October.
    22. Sureeporn Punpuing, 1993. "Correlates of Commuting Patterns: A Case-study of Bangkok, Thailand," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 30(3), pages 527-545, April.
    23. G Giuliano, 1989. "Research Policy and Review 27. New Directions for Understanding Transportation and Land Use," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 21(2), pages 145-159, February.
    24. Hamilton, Bruce W, 1989. "Wasteful Commuting Again," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 97(6), pages 1497-1504, December.
    25. Ya Ping Wang & Alan Murie, 1996. "The Process of Commercialisation of Urban Housing in China," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 33(6), pages 971-989, June.
    26. Golob, Thomas F., 2000. "A simultaneous model of household activity participation and trip chain generation," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 34(5), pages 355-376, June.
    27. Giuliano, Genevieve, 1989. "New Directions for Understanding Transportation and Land Use," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt72f0362d, University of California Transportation Center.
    28. Peter Gordon & Ajay Kumar & Harry W. Richardson, 1989. "Congestion, Changing Metropolitan Structure, and City Size in the United States," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 12(1), pages 45-56, April.
    29. Youqin Huang & William A. V. Clark, 2002. "Housing Tenure Choice in Transitional Urban China: A Multilevel Analysis," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 39(1), pages 7-32, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Tao, Zhuolin & Zhou, Jiangping & Lin, Xiongbin & Chao, Heng & Li, Guicai, 2020. "Investigating the impacts of public transport on job accessibility in Shenzhen, China: a multi-modal approach," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    2. Zhou, Xingang & Yeh, Anthony G.O. & Yue, Yang & Li, Weifeng, 2022. "Residential-employment mixed use and jobs-housing balance: A case study of Shenzhen, China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    3. Kapatsila, Bogdan & Palacios, Manuel Santana & Grisé, Emily & El-Geneidy, Ahmed, 2023. "Resolving the accessibility dilemma: Comparing cumulative and gravity-based measures of accessibility in eight Canadian cities," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    4. Zhong, Shaopeng & Bushell, Max, 2017. "Built environment and potential job accessibility effects of road pricing: A spatial econometric perspective," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 98-109.
    5. Jin, Tanhua & Cheng, Long & Liu, Zhicheng & Cao, Jun & Huang, Haosheng & Witlox, Frank, 2022. "Nonlinear public transit accessibility effects on housing prices: Heterogeneity across price segments," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 48-59.
    6. Ari Tarigan & Stian Bayer & Christin Berg, 2011. "Suburbanisation of employment means less sustainable travel? - The effects of policy location on commuters' travel patterns in the Stavanger region, Norway," ERSA conference papers ersa10p1648, European Regional Science Association.
    7. Zhao, Pengjun, 2013. "The implications of and institutional barriers to compact land development for transportation: Evidence from Bejing," The Journal of Transport and Land Use, Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, vol. 6(3), pages 29-42.
    8. Yao, Mingzhu & Wang, Donggen, 2018. "Mobility and travel behavior in urban China: The role of institutional factors," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 122-131.
    9. Zhao, Chunli & Nielsen, Thomas Alexander Sick & Olafsson, Anton Stahl & Carstensen, Trine Agervig & Meng, Xiaoying, 2018. "Urban form, demographic and socio-economic correlates of walking, cycling, and e-biking: Evidence from eight neighborhoods in Beijing," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 102-112.
    10. Shen, Yue & Kwan, Mei-Po & Chai, Yanwei, 2013. "Investigating commuting flexibility with GPS data and 3D geovisualization: a case study of Beijing, China," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 1-11.
    11. Weichang Kong & Dorina Pojani & Neil Sipe & Dominic Stead, 2021. "Transport Poverty in Chinese Cities: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-24, April.
    12. Qin, Ping & Wang, Lanlan, 2019. "Job opportunities, institutions, and the jobs-housing spatial relationship: Case study of Beijing," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 331-339.
    13. Zhang, Mengzhu & He, Shenjing & Zhao, Pengjun, 2018. "Revisiting inequalities in the commuting burden: Institutional constraints and job-housing relationships in Beijing," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 58-71.
    14. Li, Chunjiang & Zhang, Yan & Chai, Yanwei, 2021. "Do spatial factors outweigh institutional factors? Changes in influencing factors of home-work separation from 2007 to 2017 in Beijing," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    15. Zhao, Pengjun, 2014. "Private motorised urban mobility in China’s large cities: the social causes of change and an agenda for future research," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 53-63.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zhao, Pengjun & Lü, Bin & Roo, Gert de, 2011. "Impact of the jobs-housing balance on urban commuting in Beijing in the transformation era," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 19(1), pages 59-69.
    2. Jiangping, Zhou & Chun, Zhang & Xiaojian, Chen & Wei, Huang & Peng, Yu, 2014. "Has the legacy of Danwei persisted in transformations? the jobs-housing balance and commuting efficiency in Xi’an," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 64-76.
    3. Qin, Ping & Wang, Lanlan, 2019. "Job opportunities, institutions, and the jobs-housing spatial relationship: Case study of Beijing," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 331-339.
    4. Linn, Joshua & Wang, Zhongmin & Xie, Lunyu, 2018. "The long-run effects of housing location on travel behavior: Evidence from China's housing reform," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 114-140.
    5. Bindong Sun & Tinglin Zhang & Zhou He & Rui Wang, 2017. "Urban Spatial Structure And Motorization In China," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(3), pages 470-486, June.
    6. Wang, Donggen & Chai, Yanwei & Li, Fei, 2011. "Built environment diversities and activity–travel behaviour variations in Beijing, China," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 19(6), pages 1173-1186.
    7. Li, Si-ming & Liu, Yi, 2016. "The jobs-housing relationship and commuting in Guangzhou, China: Hukou and dual structure," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 286-294.
    8. Chunil Kim & Choongik Choi, 2019. "Towards Sustainable Urban Spatial Structure: Does Decentralization Reduce Commuting Times?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-28, February.
    9. Xiang CAI, 2018. "Determinants Of Affordable Housing Allocation: Common Perspectives From Local Officials," Regional Science Inquiry, Hellenic Association of Regional Scientists, vol. 0(2), pages 227-237, July.
    10. Jie Huang & David Levinson & Jiaoe Wang & Haitao Jin, 2019. "Job-worker spatial dynamics in Beijing: Insights from Smart Card Data," Working Papers 2019-01, University of Minnesota: Nexus Research Group.
    11. Wang, Donggen & Chai, Yanwei, 2009. "The jobs–housing relationship and commuting in Beijing, China: the legacy of Danwei," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 17(1), pages 30-38.
    12. Paolo Veneri, 2010. "Urban Polycentricity and the Costs of Commuting: Evidence from Italian Metropolitan Areas," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(3), pages 403-429, September.
    13. Tim Schwanen & Martin Dijst & Frans M Dieleman, 2002. "A Microlevel Analysis of Residential Context and Travel Time," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 34(8), pages 1487-1507, August.
    14. R Cervero & K-L Wu, 1997. "Polycentrism, Commuting, and Residential Location in the San Francisco Bay Area," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 29(5), pages 865-886, May.
    15. Galbács, Péter, 2018. "A közgazdaságtan felszabadítása. A neoklasszikus ortodoxia és az intézményi közgazdaságtan közötti ellentét néhány módszertani kérdése [Freedom for economics. Some methodological aspects of the neo," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(1), pages 44-65.
    16. John R. Logan & Yiping Fang & Zhanxin Zhang, 2009. "Access to Housing in Urban China," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(4), pages 914-935, December.
    17. Natalia Presman & Arie Arnon, 2000. "Commuting Patterns in Israel," Regional and Urban Modeling 283600076, EcoMod.
    18. Motte, Benjamin & Aguilera, Anne & Bonin, Olivier & Nassi, Carlos D., 2016. "Commuting patterns in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro. What differences between formal and informal jobs?," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 59-69.
    19. Longxu Yan & De Wang & Shangwu Zhang & Dongcan Xie, 2019. "Evaluating the multi-scale patterns of jobs-residence balance and commuting time–cost using cellular signaling data: a case study in Shanghai," Transportation, Springer, vol. 46(3), pages 777-792, June.
    20. Vatn, Arild, 2005. "Rationality, institutions and environmental policy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(2), pages 203-217, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jotrge:v:18:y:2010:i:3:p:393-401. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-transport-geography .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.