Supporting Locational Decision Making: regionalization of Service Delivery systems

Photis, Yorgos N. and Koutsopoulos, Kostis (1994): Supporting Locational Decision Making: regionalization of Service Delivery systems. Published in: Studies in Regional & Urban Planning , Vol. 1, No. 1 (1994): pp. 13-34.

Abstract

In this paper we describe a case study of our attempt to provide decision support to a public agency, the Greek Ministry of Education, that is currently reorganizing the geo¬graphical configuration of its system. We treat the problem of determining the optimal number of catch¬ment areas, the school locations and the allocations of school children, as an interactive location-allocation problem. In our approach and during the problem-solving procedure, we deal with a set of predefined future scenarios, emphasizing on the uncertainty principles emerging from the notion of a popula¬tion being subject to elements of change. The scenarios are generated from an initial dataset, through the implementation of certain demographic assumptions, concerning fertility, mortality and migration rates. By linking demographic and locational models, and using the graphic capabilities of mapping software, we provide the basis for an integrated locational planning support system and thus a more pragmatic planning process. Furthermore, we assist the decision making process through the utilization of two solution - perform¬ance criteria. Namely, the expected loss and the minimax loss criterion of the optimal solution of each future scenario configur¬ation which is gener¬ated during the problem solving procedure.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Locational planning; Scenario planning, planning support systems; Location of public facilities; Educational planning
• Subjects: R - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics > R5 - Regional Government Analysis > R53 - Public Facility Location Analysis ; Public Investment and Capital Stock; D - Microeconomics > D8 - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty > D81 - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty

References

Allard, l. and M.J. Hodgson. 1987. Interactive graphics for mapping location - allocation solutions. The American Car¬togra¬pher 14, 49-60.

Armstrong, M.P., G. Rushton, R. Honey, B. Dalziel and P. Lolonis. 1991. Decision sup¬port for regionalization: A spa¬tial decision support sys¬tem for regionalizing service delivery systems. Com¬puters Environment and Urban Sys¬tems 15: 37-53.

De Palma, A. and Y. Papageorgiou. 1991. A model of rational choice behav¬iour under imper¬fect ability to choose. Forth¬com¬ing.

Densham, P.J. and G. Rushton. 1987. Decision Support systems for Locational Planning. In R.G. Golledge and H.Timmermans, eds. Behavioural Modelling in Geogra¬phy. (New York: Croom Helm).

Densham, P.J. 1989. Computer Interactive Techniques for Settlement Reorganization, Ph.D. Dissertation. Depart¬ment of Geography, The Univer¬sity of Iowa.

Dijkstra, E.W. 1959. A note on two problems in connexion with graphs. Numerisc Mathematik.

Fisher, H.B. and G. Rushton. 1979. Spatial efficiency of service locations and the regional development process. Papers of the Regional Science Associ¬ation 42: 83-97.

Ghosh, A. and S.L. Mc Lafferty. 1987. Location strategies for retail and service firms. (Toronto: Lexington books).

Ghosh, A. and G. Rushton. 1987. Spatial Analysis and Location Allocation Models. (New York: Van Norstrand Reinhold Com¬pany).

Greek ministry of Education. 1991. High School Locational Planning: Tasks and Regula-¬tions. (Athens).

Harris, B. and M. Batty. 1992. Locational Models, Geographic Information and Planning support systems. Technical Paper 12-1, NCGIA.

Koutsopoulos, K. 1989. Geography and Spatial Analysis. (Athens: Papadamis).

Krarup, J. and P.M. Pruzan. 1990. Ingredients of Location Analysis. In P.B. Mirchandani and R.L. Francis, eds. Dis¬crete Location Theory (New York: Wiley).

Love, R.F., J.G. Morris and G.O. Wesolowski. 1988. Facilities location: Models and methods. (New York: North Hol¬land).

Newell, C. 1988. Methods and Models in Demography (New York: The Guilford Press)

Photis Y. N. 1993 Scenario – based locational planning. A Decision Support Systems approach, Dissertation thesis, National Technical University, Athens, Greece (in Greek).

Rushton, G. 1979. Optimal location of facilities. (Wenworth: COMPress, N.H.)

Shorter, E., D. Pastra and R.Sendek. 1990. Computational methods for population pro-¬jections: with particular ref¬erence to development planning. (New York: The Popula¬tion Council).

Teitz, M.B. and P. Bart. 1968. Heuristic methods for estimating the generalized vertex median of a weighted graph. Oper¬ations Research 19: 955-961.

Tewari, V.K. and S. Jena. 1987. High school decision making in rural India and location - allocation models. In A. Ghosh, and G. Rushton, eds. Spatial Analysis and Location Allocation Models. (New York: Van Norstrand Reinhold Com¬pany).

Tziafetas, G. 1990. Population Analysis. (Athens: EL.KE.PA)