The Structure And Function Of The Metropolitan System

This thesis constructs the three-symbolic-factor theoretical framework of Metropolitan Area and the Galaxy Model that imitates the function mechanism of Metropolitan Area, and summarizes the rules of the spatial relationship inside metropolitan area and its structural system on the basis of reviewing on the related materials and the basic concepts. Then, the author explores the impact brought about by global economy and information economy on the spatial structure of metropolitan area. The empirical analysis of New York, Tokyo metropolitan area proves what the paper has identified as the main features and development trend of metropolitan structural functional system.Then the thesis conducts a deep observation and analysis on the spatial structure and industrial structure of Shanghai Metropolitan Area. Firstly, on the basis of confining the bound and rings of Shanghai MA the author examines some factors which supposed to have influence on the spatial structure, such as FDI, institutional environment, information technology, and points out that neither FDI nor information technology changes the inherent position rule of metropolitan area, they just enhance the core-city's polar function and core position. But the "administrative division economy" is proved to be the cause of weakening the relationships between the member-cities and the core city, helping the formation of Nanjing and Hangzhou Sub-MA. The author points out "weak core and strong peripheral region" and loose structure are the outstanding characteristics of Shanghai MA, therefore strengthening the core-city and the cooperation inside metropolitan area become the most important issues for the time being. While the competing and cooperation issue in manufacturing industry, the strategic industrial position issue of the core-city turn out to be the focus.The development of the thesis focuses on those two issues mentioned above. At first, the thesis using shift-share method to analyze the 29 specific sectors of the manufacturing industry from structure and competitiveness perspectives, conducts a positive research on the competitiveness of the manufacturing industry of the member-cities in Shanghai MA. Aiming at the problem of duplication of manufacturingindustry in Shanghai MA, the author also makes a positive study and concludes that there lies a special duplication form in Shanghai MA: Similar structure only lies in the manufacturing level, if we look into the manufacturing products level, the duplication turn out to be less serious. Based on the findings, we proposed the thought of developing industry clusters based on broader region, and try to prove that the broader-region industry clusters would be an important way of breaking through the hedge brought about by the "administrative division economy" and help elevating the efficiency of the resource configuration. And then, the author goes deep into the research on the choice of main industry in the core-city and constructs a model of core-city in Metropolitan Area based on the international experience, which points out that the highly developed knowledge service industry in core-city proven to be the foundation stone of the dynamics for the whole metropolitan area. The author also explores the necessity and the feasibility of the functional transfer of Shanghai city from the supply and need angle, and, discussed the ways of the transfer.The innovations of the thesis lie in the following three respects: In the first place, this paper stresses that the impacts on the spatial allocation of producer's factor brought about by globalization and information technology is profound, but they do not induce the disappearance of the motivations for agglomeration in metropolitan area, on the contrary, they strengthened the polar effect of the core-city, while the content and the form of the agglomeration changed greatly. Shanghai is supposed to take on the task of leading the economy of major metropolitan area onto a healthy and sustainable way, she should use those global cities' expericence for reference on making decision of the city's function, follows the rule of the changed agglomeration effect of the core city and endeavors to be a core-city of metropolitan area based on knowledge service industry.Secondly, Based on the differentiation and analysis on some similar concepts, the authors point out the essence of the Metropolitan Area. Furthermore, the authors summarize three symbolic factors of Metropolitan Area: an important and powerful core city; mature city system around the core city; close intercommunication inside Metropolitan area, whichprovides standards for judging the metropolitan region, clarifying the confusion in using the concept. And constructs a "Galaxy Model" to imitate the way of the spatial structure and operating mechanism of metropolitan area.The paper finally analyzes and evaluates the issue of so-called same structure of manufacturing industry in Shanghai MA. The author differs two types of same structure, one is caused by the "political economic institution", the other is caused by the rule of agglomeration effect based the platform of Shanghai MA. The author points out the former type results in the distortion of the market mechanism, while the latter one form the basis for "Broad bound industrial clusters". Furthermore, the author emphasizes the positive meanings of broad bound industrial clusters based on the special geographical platform of Shanghai MA and proposed the ways of constructing such kind of clusters: taking the industrial chain as the framework, employing small enterprise clusters as the muscle, and taking the form of interregional enterprise group, strategic alliance and vertical of industrial chain.