SEMAINE D'ETUDE SUR LE ROLE DE L’ANALYSE ECONOMETRIOUE ETC. 1005

2. PARTICIPATION POTENTIAL AND DEGREE OF SPATIAL DECEN-TRALIZATION


Elsewhere I have proposed to measure participation potential
 for a system of #» nodes (points. central places, regions) as
follows :

where d

Boo

Er

ow oP
3Gy 5
ab

d

JV; =

= distance between nodes à and 7, however defined,
on

M; = mass at j, however defined;
b and 3 = adjustment factors, whether constant or vari
able, applying to d;; and M,, respectively;
w. = a weight, however constructed, to be applied to M;
G;; = an appropriate constant applicable to potential inter
action between nodes 7 and 7;
;V; = participation potential of individuals (mass) at ÿ per
unit decision to be reached at 7: and

+

total participation potential of all nodes in the system
per unit decision to be reached at 1.

Now consider a hierarchy which may be defined by several
levels or orders of nodes. (Assume 4 orders of nodes, an order
being indicated by f or g; f, g=1, ..., A). In a simple hierarchy,
 the single first-order node may be represented by the peak
of the pyramid or the top of the tree. An h'” order node is one
of the many at the base of the pyramid or tree. Intermediate
nodes may exist at one or more intermediate levels or orders.
The hierarchy may be regularly or irregularly structured, and

‘127 Isard - pag. 3