Does broadband internet allow cities to ‘borrow size’? Evidence from the Swedish labour market

Borrowed size refers to the idea that small cities near larger metropolitan centres can reap the advantages of large agglomerations, but without the costs of agglomeration. The study explores whether broadband internet helps such smaller cities to enjoy the labour market benefits of a larger city. Using Swedish micro-data from 2007 to 2015,...

Working from Home and Commuting: Heterogeneity over Time, Space, and Occupations

Teleworking may increase the willingness to accept a longer commute. This paper presents new evidence of the effect of teleworking on the length of commutes. We use novel panel data from the Netherlands, for the years 2008-2018, and find stronger effects compared to studies that use older data. Between 2008 and 2018 however, the effect was...

Information Technology and Local Product Variety: Substitution, Complementarity and Spillovers

This paper addresses the interaction between information technology (IT) and agglomeration. The literature distinguishes two types of interactions, namely a substitution effect and a complementarity effect. We conceptualise a third effect, namely a ‘spillover’ mechanism, by which IT allows places in close proximity of large cities to ‘borrow...

Population, diversity, and restaurants: trends in the geography of cuisine variety in the Netherlands

Over the past two decades, research in regional science has paid considerable attention to the benefits of urban density and proximity, even though there has been tremendous progress within the same period in technologies that ease the friction of distance (e.g. mobile communication, high-speed internet). Many scholars argue that in spite of...

Why bright city lights dazzle and illuminate: A cognitive science approach to urban promises

Despite the many uncertainties of life in cities, promises of economic prosperity, social mobility and happiness have fuelled the imagination of generations of urban migrants in search of a better life. Access to jobs, housing and amenities, and fewer restrictions of personal choices are some of the perceived advantages of cities,...

Working from home and the willingness to accept a longer commute

It is generally found that workers are more inclined to accept a job that is located farther away from home if they have the ability to work from home one day a week or more (telecommuting). Such findings inform us about the effectiveness of telecommuting policies that try to alleviate congestion and transport-related emissions, but they also...

Working from Home and the Willingness to Accept a Longer Commute

It is generally found that workers are more inclined to accept a job that is located farther away from home if they have the ability to work from home one day a week or more (telecommuting). Such findings inform us about the effectiveness of telecommuting policies that try to alleviate congestion and transport related emissions, but they also...

The City as a Self-Help Book: The Psychology of Urban Promises

Despite the many negative aspects of life in cities, urban promises of economic prosperity, freedom and happiness have fuelled the imagination of generations of migrants, who have flocked to cities in search of a better life, invariably exaggerating the opportunities and neglected the potential disadvantages of their choice. This paper uses...

Reviews, Restaurants en Ruimte: Hoe het delen van ervaringen de ruimtelijke spreiding van het restaurantaanbod beïnvloedt

Het hebben van keuze uit verschillende soorten restaurants wordt gezien als een typisch stedelijk consumptievoordeel. Immers, daar vind je een grote variëteit aan restaurants met keukens uit alle windstreken. Echter, het online delen van ervaringen in restaurants, op recensiewebsites zoals Iens.nl zorgt er via een aantal mechanismen voor dat...