ABSTRACT
This chapter uses spatial statistical techniques to simultaneously model socio-economic factors and effects of state policies. It begins with a determination of two types of variables: explicit and implicit. Explicit variables refer to those whose values may be measured and indeed are computed at various levels of surveys and publications. Implicit variables refer to those whose values may not be collected in such a manner. The chapter focuses more attention on implicit variables since they are the ones that have not been incorporated in formal models. It contends that rigorous statistical analysis of them may be performed when the implicit variables are associated with spatial patterns. The technique will be demonstrated through a case study of He-Nan Province of China. The dataset is based on the Fourth National Population Census publications. [He-Nan Province Census Bureau, 1992] He-Nan was selected as representative of the entire country in population density, living standards, economic structure, and cultural characteristics.
