PROGRESS IN GEOGRAPHY ›› 2011, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (4): 498-503.doi: 10.11820/dlkxjz.2011.04.014

• Original Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Review of the Researches on Producer Services from an Angle of Space

LIU Shuhua1,2, SHEN Yufang1   

  1. 1. The Yangtze Basin Development Institute, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China;
    2. Social Sciences Academy of Nanning in Guangxi, Nanning 530022, China
  • Received:2010-06-01 Revised:2010-12-01 Online:2011-04-25 Published:2011-04-25

Abstract: Since the 1980s, human geography has been involved in the research on producer services from the angle of space. Some related theories and research topics were gradually formed. The theory from the spatial view on the study of producer services concentrated on location choice and spatial layout largely, and formed the central place theory, bid-rent theory, spatial selective diffusion theory and agglomeration theory. The related issues included location choice, location mode and spatial layout of producer services, spatial behavior of service firms, and impact of the spatial layout of producer services on urban structure and regional economy. Overall, the spatial research findings and fields of producer services were increasing, which became the theoretical and empirical basis for related policy formulation. But a whole and theoretical framework for the study of producer services from the angle of space has not been formed yet. The difference of spatial layout, industrial function, and spatial decision-making of service firms need further studies, and the production and exchange character of producer services and their relevance to the dynamics of new economic spaces need to be explored in more details.

Key words: producer services, research progress, research review, space