Zbyszko Chojnicki

Abstract

This study is to present the foundations of a model of the spatial system of towns. In order to accomplish this task, the model and the systems methodol-ogies are integrated. In the model methodology, reality is idealized so as to iden-tify the factors and relations that are significant and to cut out those of second-ary importance. In following such a research procedure, which by way of ab-straction, eliminates subsidiary effects on the studied object, and thus makes cenain research assumptions, we are led to the construction of a model. The resulting models are idealized and hence abstract representations of reality formulated as sets of modelling assumptions. The objects thus characterized — spaiial systems devoid of certain real features — are called ideal types or ab-stract phenomena.

Zbyszko Chojnicki, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan

Zbyszko Chojnicki, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan

Zbyszko Chojnicki, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan
Teresa Czyż [tczyz@amu.edu.pl], Institute of Socio-Economic Geography and Space Economy, Adam Mickiewicz University, Fredry 10, 61-701 Poznań, Poland

Zbyszko Chojnicki, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan
Teresa Czyż [tczyz@amu.edu.pl], Institute of Socio-Economic Geography and Space Economy, Adam Mickiewicz University, Fredry 10, 61-701 Poznań, Poland

Abstract

The subject of this analysis is the total socio-economic space of Poland.Geographical theory contains two approaches to an operational definition ofsocio-economic space. Firstly, the ontological approach conceives of socio-economicspace as a mode of existence of economic processes; secondly, the mathematicaland economic-geographical approach considers socio-economicspace as a set, or subset, of geographical objects with specific inter-dependences.This study of Poland's socio-economic space consists of defining andexplaining the regularities in the spatial occurrence of economic processes byanalysing the properties of sets of objects and their vertical and horizontalinterdependences. Thus conceived, the analysis of socio-economic space isclosely linked to the study of the level of the country's economic development.

The present study is based on the assumption of a latent structure ofsocio-economic space. The total socio-economic space may be viewed as a setof partial socio-economic spaces comprising different features of socio-economiclife, for example, demographic, industrial and agricultural and these relatingto transportation and services. In spite of its plurality, this set is finite.The partial socio-economic spaces, though comprising different socio-economicphenomena, refer to the same reality in that they are reflections of some ofits different aspects. Such partial spaces are interdependent, though clearlynon-identical (Dziewoński [2], p. 37). The total socio-economic space isa resultant of all partial spaces that together constitute the latent structure oftotal space.

Zbyszko Chojnicki, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan
Teresa Czyż [tczyz@amu.edu.pl], Institute of Socio-Economic Geography and Space Economy, Adam Mickiewicz University, Fredry 10, 61-701 Poznań, Poland

Zbyszko Chojnicki, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan

Zbyszko Chojnicki, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan

Zbyszko Chojnicki, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan

Zbyszko Chojnicki, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan

Zbyszko Chojnicki, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan