are arranged around two sides of a square (or along the sides of a dog-leg) and are
set out in a way which shows for the same material date, the sectors ‘making’ and
the sectors ‘receiving’, illustrating, in effect, inter-sector connectivity.
The box 4.4 depiction of input–output patterns(p. 130) indicates the amount
of ‘input from’ and ‘output to’ each different category of activity for a notional
‘three-sector’ agriculture–industry–tourism economy. Arrays of categories, and
the iteration of costs leading from primary production through to household sales,
can take time to produce, prove expensive to provide, and lead to a ‘so what?’ sit-
uation. Nevertheless a useful feature of an input–output patterning is that it iden-
tifies the proportion of a region’s income accruing for each stage in the production
of goods and services, up until the point of consumption. Such an array can
suggest strategic opportunities for bringing an outside process into a region, and
for expanding some forms of production. Little other use can be made of an
input–output construct for tactical or predictive purposes; but it can be of indica-
tive utility to conservancy practice when this is part of an income-producing
tourism activity.
Linkage and pattern analyses
First, a truism: eachof the six dimensions of any region – administrative, histori-
cal, spatial-topographical, temporal, economic, social – is linked to all. Relevance
is the consideration here: thus from the box 4.3 pattern data listing, the linkage
between ‘geology’ and, for example, ‘residential floor space’ may be nonsensical,
whereas the linkage between ‘residential floor space’ and ‘household energy
uptake’ is likely to be significant. Pattern analysis frequently com-
mands enormous expenditures of time in the setting-up of infor-
mation; the preparation of data-coupling comparisons of the
‘geology–floorspace’ type proving vapid. Yet, with the general
availability of computer facilitation, why not store all the data
possible (hence the completeness of box 4.3); and why not request
the data library to present all manner of binary and multiple com-
parisons? Access to a host of questions and answers about data
relationships can be assembled with computer assistance at frac-
tional expenditure. Data comparisons should of course be always
purposeful, policy-directed and plan-led.
In practice, regional planners have tended to list ‘linkages’ within physical data
sets only. Thus the emphasis for Rondinelli and Ruddle (1978: headings only) was
for:
Economic Linkages
Physical Linkages
Population Movement Linkages
Technological Linkages
Service Delivery Linkages
Political, Administrative and Organizational LinkagesGrowth Pattern Management 129James Corner views
mapping in a way ‘that
both reveals and realises
hidden potential...a
productive and liberating
instrument, a world
enriching agent,
especially in the design
and planning arts.’
James Corner, ‘Agency of
Mapping’, 1999