DRAFT: Please do not cite without permission.
by Steven G. Craig and Pin Ng
ABSTRACT
The goal of this paper is to provide a statistically based definition of employment subcenters for multicentric urban areas. In particular, we examine the shape of the employment density function using quantile smoothing splines as the non-parametric empirical specification. This functional representation allows examination of the employment gradient at the upper tail of the employment density distribution, rather than at the center of the density. As a result, our definition of employment subcenters extends previous work because it allows us to condition on distance from the CBD, and empirically illustrates the extent to which a subcenter influences surrounding areas.
June, 1997