E. Describe the significance of a growth pole in an urban or

regional economy.

F. Explain how post-Fordist methods of production have

transformed operations at individual factories.

Explain the degree to which least-cost theory predicts the local site-

selection factors for the location of multinational service industry

corporate offices

E.

- A growth pole is a concentrated area of a technologically advanced industry. This type of area is significant because it is likely to attract job seekers, thereby stimulating the housing market and overall economic activity at a regional scale.

- A growth pole is significant to an urban economy as it will attract supporting businesses such as retail establishments, restaurants, and other service industries to the city or urban area on a local scale.

F.

- production at individual factories is specialized to meet consumer tastes and demands or are set up for flexibility to meet rapid changes in consumer tastes and demands.

- manufacturing is characterized by just-in-time delivery of supplies so that a factory does not need to retain a large inventory of parts, requiring less space and labor.

- companies disintegrate vertically and/or a factory may rely on subcontractors or spinoff companies for some of production such as parts or aftermarket parts.

- workers may be trained for specialization and/or flexibility to operate different machinery or produce different types of products

- emphasis on product quality and/or manufacturing process quality may transform operations at factories.

G. Least-cost theory is better suited to explaining site locations for manufacturing companies than for service-industry corporations. According to the least-cost theory, industrial locations should be selected based upon the availability of natural resources (for example, a steel factory would be located near high-loss raw materials like coal or water).

Service-based industries do not require access to natural resources. Instead, a multinational corporation in the service industry is likely to locate its headquarters based on one or more of the following:

- Availability of communications networks

- Availability of a highly educated workforce

- Availability of investment capital or tax incentives

- Locational factors such as proximity to technology growth poles (universities, military bases, aerospace facilities)

- Locations of competitors or clients

- Locations of a cultural or artistic center

- Lifestyle factors such as recreational opportunities, food, restaurants, and/or entertainment

- Proximity to airports