SPATIAL ORGANIZATION AND REGIONAL 
PLANNING: SOME HYPOTHESES FOR 
ECONOMETRIC ANALYSIS 
WALTER (ISARD 
Department of Regional Science - University of Pennsvlvania 
Philadelphia. Penn. - U.S.A 
INTRODUCTION 
The objective of this paper is to raise certain fundamental 
questions regarding the application of existing econometric and 
regional science techniques to the problems of regional plan- 
ning. It is my hope that by raising these questions, J will be 
able to stimulate the formulation of hypotheses which can be 
tested with new kinds of data. Perhaps these hypotheses may 
then lead to more effective theories and techniques with refe- 
rence to comprehensive planning for economic development. 
The basic issue which I wish to confront is one which has 
been avoided by econometricians and regional scientists. It is: 
what are the properties of an optimal spatial allocation of de- 
cision-making authority, planning functions, and other selected 
governmental functions (inclusive of certain aspects of admi- 
nistration)? Alternatively, for an hierarchical system of re- 
gions, what should be the locational distribution of such autho- 
rity and functions? Furthermore, to what extent will the above 
spatial allocation affect and be affected by the spatial distri 
“121 Isard - pag.