The spatial evolution of an industry: the example of broiler production
An attempt is made to test some ideas concerning the tendency for an industry to move towards economically rational patterns as it evolves. These ideas originated from assertions made by Hoover, Tiebout, Pred and Smith. Data were collected from a sample of broiler growing plants in the East Midlands. Individual and organizational decision makers are identified and analysis of the data shows that, over a period of time, plants begin to use nearer sources of inputs, increase in size and begin to cluster around the points to which their products are sent.