ABSTRACT
The physical expansion and increasing functional complexity of urban life in western cities in the twentieth century has resulted in a proliferation of the quantity and variety of services needed by the urban population. The resulting range of services is provided by a variety of commercial and governmental agencies so that their spatial distributions, associated functional characteristics and patterns of usage also vary significantly. Nevertheless, five centrally distinct but overlapping categories can be suggested for preliminary analysis: shopping, wholesaling and warehousing, offices, medical services, and public utilities.
