Firm Fragmentation and Urban Patterns

43 Pages Posted: 29 Mar 2006 Last revised: 7 Nov 2022

See all articles by Esteban Rossi-Hansberg

Esteban Rossi-Hansberg

University of Chicago - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Pierre-Daniel G. Sarte

Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

Raymond E. Owens

Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: December 2005

Abstract

We document several empirical regularities regarding the evolution of urban structure in the largest U.S. metropolitan areas over the period 1980-1990. These regularities relate to changes in resident population, employment, occupations, as well as the number and size of establishments in different sections of the metropolitan area. We then propose a theory of urban structure that emphasizes the location and internal structure decisions of firms. In particular, firms can decide to locate their headquarters and operation plants in different regions of the city. Given that cities experienced positive population growth throughout the 1980s, we show that firm fragmentation produces the diverse set of facts documented in the paper.

Suggested Citation

Rossi-Hansberg, Esteban A. and Sarte, Pierre-Daniel and Owens, Raymond E., Firm Fragmentation and Urban Patterns (December 2005). NBER Working Paper No. w11839, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=892284

Esteban A. Rossi-Hansberg (Contact Author)

University of Chicago - Department of Economics

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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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Pierre-Daniel Sarte

Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond ( email )

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Richmond, VA 23261
United States

Raymond E. Owens

Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond ( email )

P.O. Box 27622
Richmond, VA 23261
United States

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