Dynamics of Industrial Location
Industrial Geography - Course Outline
Simon Fraser University Geography 323-4
Department of Geography Roger Hayter
Spring 2001
COURSE OUTLINE
Dynamics of Industrial Location and Regional Development
This course explains the location of industrial activity from the perspective of regional and local development. The course focuses on explanations of factory location, the role of location in corporate strategies and the geographical structure of production systems, including industrial districts. Particular attention is paid to the organizational structure of the economy, especially the dominant role played by multinational firms (MNCs), and the forces that shape the agglomeration and dispersal of activity. The location strategies of MNCs are contrasted with small and medium sized (or simply 'large') firms in terms of their location strategies and different types of production system, some locally concentrated and others globally dispersed, are examined.
This course is designed to provide you with an understanding of the location and organization of economic activity, from global to local scales, as shaped by the practice of business firms. As the 'core' economic geography course' focusing on the theme of 'location', the course is central to the issues of regional development and planning, including environmental issues, and to those students interested in a geographical perspective towards the strategies and impacts of MNCs, and industrial organization.
Notes: There is no tutorial on Friday, January 5th. Tutorials commence on Wednesday, January 10th. A field trip is scheduled for February 28th (The $15 cost is incoporated with your fees).
Week 1 Jan 10: Lecture: Approaches to location dynamics
Tutorial: Introductions, assignments
Reading: chapter 1
Week 2 Jan 17: Lecture: Industry: From Industrial Revolution to Green Paradigm
Tutorial: Industry: forces of concentration and dispersal
Reading: chapters 2 and 3
The Location of Factories
Week 3 Jan 24: Lecture: The product cycle model
Tutorial: Factory location as a cost-minimizing exercise*
Readings: chapters 4 and 5 (seminar based on chapter 5)
Week 4 Jan 31: Lecture: Government policies and location
Tutorial: Factory locations as a decision making exercise*
Readings: chapters 5, 6 and 7 (seminar based on chapter 6)
Week 5 Feb 7: Lecture: The environment as a location factor
Tutorial: Industrial location as a bargain*
Readings: chapters 4 and 16 (seminar based on chapter 7)
Week 6 Feb 14: Lecture: Mid-term
Tutorial: Cancelled
C. Business Organization and Location
Week 7 Feb 21: Lecture: Firms in the modern economy: From SMEs to MNCs
Tutorial: The nature of SMEs
Readings: chapters 8 and 9
Week 8 Feb 28: Lecture: Field trip (Vancouver area, aprox. 8.30 to 4.30)
Tutorial: Included in field trip
Week 9 Mar 7: Lecture: The internationalization process
Tutorial: Reflections on field trip
Readings: chapters 10 and 11
Week 10 Mar 14: Lecture: Deindustrialization : Film, Roger and Me
Tutorial: Causes and consequences of deindustrialization
Readings: chapter 16
D. The Nature of Production Systems
Week 11 Mar 21: Lecture: Theory of Industrial Distrticts
Tutorial: Industrial district case studies**
Readings: chapters 12 and (parts of 14 )
Week 12 Mar 28: Lecture: The anatomy of Toyota Town
Tutorial: Industrial district case studies**
Reading: chapter 15
Week 13 Apr 4: Lecture: Structure of branch plant economies: the Canadian model
Tutorial: Open
Reading: chapter 15
Required Text: Roger Hayter 1997 The dynamics of industrial location: the factory, the firm and the production system (Chichester, Wiley)
Course Prerequisite: Geography 221 or by permission of instructor
Course Evaluation: Mid-term 20%
Field trip report 20%
Seminar participation 30%
Final 30%
Instructor: Roger Hayter, cc 7135, telephone 291-3327, e-mail address: hayter@sfu.ca.
Web page address: http://www.sfu.ca/~hayter
Note that there is quite a bit of additional material on topics raised by the text on my web-site.
I also hope to place information on this course on my web site.
Office hours: Tuesday 1.30 - 3.30 pm and Thursday, 2.30-4.30 pm; or use e-mail
Office hours: to be announced
Preliminary Remarks on Seminars, Reports
The tutorial topics that have been assigned an asterisk * and ** require formal student presentations of assigned topics. In weeks 3, 4 and 5, students will pick one topic (based on a chapter from your text) and in groups of 4 or 5 present that topic as a seminar. Each person will speak for around 15 minutes. The sole required reading is a chapter in the text.
In weeks 11 and 12 you will individually present a case study on an 'industrial district' that is drawn from an assigned reference that analyses a particular industrial district. That is, the substance of this seminar will be based on a review of a single paper (plus the genral information provided in your Text and lectures). These references will be provided and as far as possible palced on reserve reading. Two students in each tutorial may focus on the same industrial district, examples of which will be drawn from around the world.
The field trip will take an entire day and will involve visits to two or three Vancouver area manufacturing operations. This field trip will provide the basis for a short (3000 word) paper. Further information on the nature of the field trip and the paper will be provided in class. In general, the focus will be on the nature of industrial location dynamics in Greater Vancouver.
NOTE:
I have arranged the field trip for a day when we have classes and (most) tutorials to help minimize conflict with other classes. However, if a conflict does arise please see the professor or TA of the class that conflicts with the field trip as soon as possible to apologize and ensure that your absence is with permission. I will provide a letter requesting such an absence if necessary. Field trips are a vital part of a geographic education and I wish we could arrange more.