Co-Evolution And Network Formation In The Air Transport Sector

Air transportation has been a common theme in economic geography literature in relation to the analysis of airline routes and flows, the study of international supply chains, location analysis, the impact of airport noise on residential property values and environmental issues (e.g., WILTOX et al. 2007; BURGHOUWT, 2007; LEINBACH and BOWEN, 2004; SEGUÍ and MARTÍNEZ, 2004; GRAHAM, 1995; ESPEY and LOPEZ, 2000; GÁMIR and RAMOS, 2002; TOMKINS et al., 1998; STUTZ, 1986; KARASKA and BRAMHALL, 1960). Meanwhile, economic geography has moved away from traditional economic analysis and has become a more interdisciplinary speciality adopting insights from social, cultural and political sciences (BOSCHMA and FRENKEN, 2006). A relatively recent development in economic geography is the evolutionary approach, which combines different kinds of quantitative and qualitative methodologies, all based on an evolutionary approach (BOSCHMA and FRENKEN, 2007), which borrows the Darwinian concepts of selection, retention (heredity) and variety in order to apply them to social sciences. This approach overcomes static theories and focuses on innovation and technology as elements of self-transformation. This chapter discusses the evolution, the current situation and the future prospects of the air transportation industry. The complexity of this industry and the constraints on the capacity of airports to cope with future growth are the central elements considered in discussing the limits of network formation. We have identified the selective environment (the liberalised market and the context of insufficient capacity), technology (engineering and aeronautics technology) and policies (air transportation regulations and other policies) as three co-evolving elements. In a context of increasing demand and environmental Co-evolution and network formation in the air transport sector ? Pere Suau-Sánchez y Montserrat Pallarès Barbera 165 constrains, the issue is how the co-evolution of these three factors has influenced the path for coping with the level of network formation demanded by society.