The dynamics of Nordic urban systems during the 1980s

The paper will focus on the classification of urban systems over time as an aid in uncovering factors impacting urban growth or decline. Methodologically the point of departure is the Noyelle & Stanback (1983) classification of North American cities, modified by recent advances and the specific Nordic situation. The method will be applied to the Nordic city-system and its restructuration during the 1980s with emphasis on relations between city size, type and growth. The main finding of the empirical case is the nearly ubiquitous growth of the larger diversified cities as a result of the preponderance of the most dynamic services in their production systems. Conversely, typical industrial production centres have generally suffered a decline in relative and partly absolute terms as a consequence of technological restructuring and fewer opportunities for replacing lost manufacturing employment by new service activities.