CENTRAL PLACE THEORY

                             CENTRAL PLACE THEORY

German geographer Walter Cristeller is designated to be the first human Geography to have followed quantitative tradition in theory building, i.e. To involve in "treatment of the surface of the earth as isotropic plane and treatment of man as a rational economic creature". Based on empirical studies of settlement in Southern Germany, Christaller attempted the first rational approach in the analysis of functional capacity and interdependence of different constituents of the settlement system.

                          Apart from presuming constant demand prevailing in geographical space he also presumed consumers to be rational economic creatures willing to travel the least distance to attend desired goods and services. Identifying every settlement to be a Central Place that is a marketplace, providing goods and services to its own population along with the population of the lower-ranking settlement, he concluded that the ranks of settlements are determined by the nature of goods and services provided by them. 
         

                          He  Emphasized that in a given settlement system there is a larger number of smaller settlements and a smaller number of larger settlements. All the settlements in a given hierarchy will not just be equally spaced but will be providing absolute similar goods and services. An increase in the hierarchy of the settlement will lead to an increase in the functional capacity, thus will result in an increase in the size of the sphere of influence.

He recognized coexisting settlement in the shape of a sphere of influence to be circular. However, with either overlaps or left-out areas eventually, he molded it to hexagon denoting equal spacing of 6 lower-order settlements around the center place.

On the application of the recognized generalization, Walter concluded that the functional hierarchy of the settlement system involves a nested model of the hexagonal sphere of influence. This was justified with a reference, that each higher-order settlement within its sphere of influence would include the sphere of influence of all lower-order settlement.

Analyzing the functional interdependence he developed an analysis of the number of the lower-order settlement served by Central Place by developing three distinct value of k a constant which includes
1. k=3 marketing principle
2. k=4 transportation principle
3. k=7 administrative principle

In the marketing principle,  he presumed to place the lower order, settlements around a central place at corners of the hexagon making each lower order of settlement equidistant from three higher-order settlements. Rational economic creature consumers in this adjustment will divide themselves into 3 equal parts central part receiving one-third of the population of each lower-ranking settlement. As such, therefore including its own population each settlement will serve three settlements in total that is k is equal to 3. In the application of this principle,1 Mega-City will serve three City 9 towns and 27 villages.

In a variable adjustment along the transport route connecting to higher-order settlements, Walter developed transport principle where K is equal to 4. It is an equidistant profile with respect to higher-order settlement making the central place receiving one half of the population from each lower ranking settlement. Combining Its own population each Central Place serves 4 settlements. In the application of this principle, each mega-cities serves 4 cities 16 towns and 64 villages.

The administrative principle k is equal to 7. It talks about taking into account administrative control of higher-order marketplace on the lower order marketplace. It forms the most recognized part of Central Place theory. It not just involve a well-demarcated marketed sphere of influence but also is a practically valid value of k that is K is equal to 7.

Criticism

1. Treating consumer as rational economic creature
2. Stabilizing sphere of influence only in accordance to hierarchical status of Central Place.

This made Crystaller's approach quite impractical and highly theoretical. To its contrary, it was argued that consumer behavior is always interpreted not just irrational but also unpredictable. Moreover, in arranging the settlement hierarchy Crystaller himself recognized that higher-order settlement provides all goods and services provided by lower-order settlements.

These points of limitation of Central Place theory was outlined by August Losch in his broader economic concept called economic landscape. He emphasized treatment of entrepreneurs as rational economic creature along with existence of many hexagonal sphere of influence around a central place.

August Losch identified validity of Crystaller's concept in the study of settlement hierarchy on 3 specified grounds:-
1. Centrality of a place
2. Range of goods and services
3. Threshold population

The centrality is of a place is that which provides goods and services and thus acts as the Marketplace. The centrality is directly proportional to the rank of the settlement that is in increasing order with increase in the hierarchy. Interrelated to it is the range of goods and services that is the gravity field of every service or the distance from where it attracts its consumers from. Like the Centrality range also increases with higher-order.

In the threshold population, Crystaller attempted to interpret minimum consumer support required for sustenance of commercial value of particular goods or services. Commonly lower-order goods and services require large threshold population compared to higher order goods and services. For example a soap company needs more buyers than a car company.

Walter Christaller Central place theory introduced the functional hierarchy  characteristics of settlement system which was eventually molded by Mark Jefferson in 1939 primate City concept
Include diagram.