ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses some of the aspects of contemporary change in economic geography and leave the quantitative and systems-analysis revolution as a self-evident truth. Economic geography lacks the iconic models of the geomorphologist or dynamic analogue models. In economic geography, model building has proceeded along two distinct and complementary paths. In the first, the builder has ‘sneaked up’ on a problem by beginning with very simple postulates and gradually introducing more complexity, all the time getting recognizably nearer to real life. The second method is to ‘move down’ from reality by making a series of simplifying generalizations. The approach of economists to regions has been strongly mathematical. Two of the most important tools used have been those of input-output analysis and linear programming. Economic geography lacks the iconic models of the geomorphologist or dynamic analogue models.
