The organisational context of retail locational planning

Retailers have a large number of techniques at their disposal to assist them in their locational planning, but the use made of them is varied, regardless of their intrinsic merits. The reasons for this lie very much in the organisational context in which the techniques are applied. This paper discusses the nature of locational planning and decision making, and puts forward a framework which links locational planning and the organisational settings in which it takes place. The preliminary results of a survey of the use of techniques by U.K. retailers are presented, which show that while most companies use more than ‘Rules of Thumb’, it is the simplest techniques which are the most widely used. The application of the more advanced knowledge based methods is still relatively uncommon. The explanation for the variations lies in the attributes of the techniques themselves, the types of locational planning undertaken, and the structural and cultural characteristics of the companies. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Changing methods of location planning for retail companies

Academic research has made an enormous contribution to applied problem solving in the areas of retail planning and marketing. The aim of this paper is to review the changing methodologies used in store location research beginning with the work on simple checklist and analogue techniques in the 1960s. The arrival of geographical information systems (GIS) heralded the start of a second phase of work which eventually saw GIS established in many retail organisations. However, the main argument of this paper is the need to consider more sophisticated modelling procedures if the different types of corporate growth strategy are to be adequately investigated. This third phase of research development focuses on these models and illustrates the business potential of such approaches through a number of case studies. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Spatial dynamics of retail structure and the venerable retail hierarchy

The retail system is continuously adapting itself to changing demographic conditions, consumer behavior and economic conditions. Existing retail units, getting larger in order to achieve economics of scale, and new forms of large-scale retailing do not fit easily in the traditional spatial pattern of retail concentrations. Neverteless the spatial distribution of retailing in urban areas, as schematized by Berry thirty-five years ago, still has its value. Through an upward hierarchical movement the retail system has adapted itself to an inflexible spatial system, in which downtown has still a dominant position. Future developments, however, may weaken the position of central shopping areas in favour of peripheral locations. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Classifications of retail stores and shopping centres: some methodological issues

This paper reviews current methods used in classifying retail outlets and areas devoted to retailing, in the geographical and town planning literature. For retail outlets, classifications based upon types of goods sold, and types of shopping trip, are discussed. This is followed by an analysis of modern large store development which reflects property developers' and retailers' concerns. Areas devoted to retail uses are subdivided into unplanned ‘retail areas’ and planned ‘shopping centres’. Traditional classifications based upon central place theory are reviewed for both of these types, and found wanting in the light of recent changes in retail development practice and consumer behaviour. Classifications based upon physical development characteristics and type of shopping trip are recommended. Finally, classifications of urban retail location are examined. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

苏门答腊岛(印尼)成矿带的岩浆作用和源区及其对比

本文介绍了苏门答腊岛上两个成矿带(即铜-金矿成矿带和锡矿成矿带)的矿产分布,岩浆岩的岩石类型和地球化学特征。根据本研究课题在巴东地区岩石化学资料,本文总结了铜-金矿成矿带含矿母岩的地球化学特征,探讨其岩浆岩成因和源区。同时,将其锡矿成矿带岩浆岩的岩石类型和地球化学-大地构造环境与其相邻地体进行对比。研究结果表明:西苏门答腊地体的铜-金矿成矿带的含矿母岩为SI-型埃达克质花岗岩,形成于活动大陆边缘(ACM)火山弧构造环境,其岩浆物质主要来源于俯冲洋壳板片局部熔融叠加上弱的地幔楔熔融-混染作用(MASH)。而东苏门答腊地体‘锡岛’和"暹缅马苏"地体的锡矿带含矿母岩为过铝质(S-型)花岗岩类,其形成构造环境为碰撞带的弧后盆地和陆内裂谷,物质源区来自地壳重熔和岩浆分异。地球化学资料表明,该两地体具有共同的深部岩浆源区。     

不同构造环境下蛇纹岩化作用的对比——以西南天山和北祁连造山带为例

蛇纹石含水量约为13%,是地球上重要的含水矿物,广泛分布于洋底、俯冲带、弧前等环境。同时,海水、俯冲带衍生流体中的活动性元素（B、Li、As、Sb、Pb、Cs、U、Sr、Ba）也可随蛇纹石化作用而富集在蛇纹石中。因此,蛇纹石可以作为流体和流体活动性元素的载体参与不同的地质过程。然而,不同的构造环境有不同的温度压力、水岩比值、流体性质、氧化还原条件。不同环境下的蛇纹石化作用,不仅会形成不同种类的蛇纹石（例如利蛇纹石,叶蛇纹石）,也有可能会导致蛇纹石的元素富集特征不同,这就需要进一步研究流体活动性元素的地球化学行为和元素富集特征。基于对世界范围内不同环境蛇纹岩数据资料的整理分析,结合西南天山和祁连山两个典型造山带的蛇纹岩样品,我们发现深海蛇纹岩与俯冲带蛇纹岩,B、Ba、Cs表现出不同的富集特征：① 深海蛇纹岩具有明显更高的B元素含量,可能反映了B在低温下更容易进入到蛇纹岩中;② 俯冲带以及弧前环境下形成的蛇纹岩由于可能有沉积物的输入,Ba、Cs的含量相对较高。这一结论有助于以后通过蛇纹岩的元素地球化学特征反演其相对的构造环境。     

Geochemical zones and reconstruction of late Holocene environments from shallow core sediments of the Pachapadra paleo-lake, Thar Desert, India

Lithostratigraphy, mineralogy, major and trace element concentrations, carbon and sulphur contents are investigated from a shallow depth profile from Pachapadra paleo-lake, Thar Desert, north-western India, to understand the phases of paleo-hydrology and paleo-limnology. Based on the geochemical proxies (Na/Al, Si/Al, Zr/Al and Ca/Mg) and evaporite mineralogy, the depth profile is divided into three geochemical zones of variable sediment-water interaction, evaporation and aeolian activity. The sub-recent zone (I) enriched in halite (NaCl) indicates low chemical weathering and higher aeolian input. The intermediate relatively humid zone II is enriched in major elements, trace elements and calcite (CaCO₃) and reflects higher chemical weathering in the catchments. Zone III is enriched in gypsum (CaSO₄·2H₂O) and characterised by lower chemical weathering, higher aeolian activity and evaporation.     

A political-cultural map of Europe. Family structures and the origins of differences between national political cultures in the European Union

Differences between the national political cultures of the European states are puzzling. They are too often taken for granted or treated as an elusive explanation for residual differences that can not be accounted for in comparative politics. Here they are put at the core of a comparative analysis. This article explores the origins of differences between national political cultures. It deals with national political cultures from the perspective of Cultural Theory or grid-group analysis. A national political culture is conceived as a ‘conversation’ between subcultures associated to national political institutions and practices (and not as an aggregated pattern of individual orientations toward political objects). National political cultures can be characterised on the basis of ideal typical patterns of relations between the basic cultures or rationalities distinguished by Cultural Theory. After an assessment of the differences between the national political cultures of the Member States of the European Union, the paper considers traditional family structures as possible sources of differentiation, elaborating upon the work of the French political historian Emmanuel Todd who has documented the correspondence between the geography of traditional family structures and the geography of ideologies in Europe. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A semianalytical approach for solving first-order perturbation equations of dissolution-timescale reactive infiltration instability problems in fluid-saturated rocks

This paper presents a semianalytical approach for solving first-order perturbation (FOP) equations, which are used to describe dissolution-timescale reactive infiltration instability (RII) problems in fluid-saturated rocks. The proposed approach contains two parts because the chemical dissolution reaction divides the whole problem domain into two subdomains. In the first part, the interface-condition substitution strategy is used to derive the analytical expressions of purely mathematical solutions for the FOP equations in the upstream subdomain, where the dissolution chemical reaction is ceased and the FOP equations are weakly coupled. In the second part, the finite element method (FEM) is used to derive the analytical expressions of numerical solutions for the FOP equations in the downstream subdomain, where the dissolution chemical reaction needs to be considered and the FOP equations are strongly coupled so that it is impossible to derive purely mathematical solutions for them. Particular attention is paid to the development of the element-by-element forward marching strategy, which is associated with the use of the FEM for solving this new kind of scientific problem. The related analytical results demonstrated that (1) both the dynamic characteristic of a reactive infiltration system and the dimensionless wavenumber can have pronounced influences on the distribution of the FOP dimensionless acid concentration within the entire domain of the dissolution-timescale RII problems in fluid-saturated rocks and (2) the FOP dimensionless acid concentration distribution exhibits two significantly different patterns in the upstream and downstream subdomains of the dissolution-timescale RII system.     

良渚遗址物质的Sr-Nd同位素特征、物源及其对古文化消亡的指示意义

良渚文化作为新石器时代晚期的重要文化之一,与中华文明的起源有着重要联系。位于杭州瓶窑镇的良渚古城遗址,则代表了良渚文化发展的巅峰。我们采集了良渚遗址剖面的文化层、上覆黄粉土的土壤样品以及遗址周边地区的河流和钱塘江的沉积物样品,测试分析了它们的Sr-Nd同位素组成。通过对比黄粉土和文化层的同位素组成变化,结合遗址周边环境和前人对长江沉积物、东海沉积物的研究,我们推测,良渚黄粉土物质来源可能是东海、长江沉积物和钱塘江沉积物的混合,良渚文化可能并非消亡于来自周边山体的山洪,而是与海侵或者长江下游洪水泛滥有关。     

黑河中游甘州区居民文化类型及其对自然环境的认知

人的行为受文化价值观影响, 辨明居民不同文化类型及影响因素, 探讨不同文化类型居民的自然环境认知特征, 无疑是人地系统中人文因素作用研究的基础性问题.综述了文化人类学中格-群文化理论及其在不同领域的广泛应用; 开发调查问卷并对甘州区进行了实证调查, 初步判定了15个乡镇居民不同文化类型的比例, 分析了年龄、 教育程度、 收入等因素对文化类型的影响, 验证了甘州区各文化类型居民对自然环境认知的特征与理论分析的相符程度.结果表明: 在三类判定准则下, 甘州区居民文化类型有效判定比例分别为总调查样本的30.94%, 30.39%及54.70%, 各种文化类型比例由高到低分别为宿命论者、 等级主义者、 个人主义者与平均主义者.年龄等居民个体特征因素对文化类型的影响符合理论假设, 可初步解释居民不同文化类型的形成.实际调查获得的不同文化类型居民对自然环境的认知特征及偏好, 符合格-群文化理论对各文化类型居民的理论分析假设, 这验证了格-群文化理论在西北干旱区内陆河流域的适用与有效性.在此基础上探讨了关注居民文化类型差异对自然资源管理政策制定和实施的借鉴意义.