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The advent of the "information age" ushered in renewed expectations of systematic urban spatial structure transformation. However, few studies have quantitatively assessed these changes, especially the decentralisation of manufacturing employment. This paper tests hypotheses regarding the decentralisation–centralisation effect of information and communication technology (ICT) on manufacturing. Further, the work employs an IV‐GMM estimation technique to estimate the models, to alleviate potential bias brought by endogeneity. The results suggest that the adoption of ICT is highly related to the decentralisation of manufacturing employment on the city‐proper scale in China. The conclusion drawn is that ICT has shaped the manufacturing decentralisation of cities in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It remains unclear whether a polycentric city can support more and higher-order consumer amenities. This paper presents new evidence from shopping malls in China and includes the effect of urban spatial structure on the order of consumer amenities and the moderating effect of transportation infrastructure, both of which have been neglected in previous empirical studies. We find that a monocentric city can provide a greater number and higher order of shopping malls than a polycentric city. Additionally, better transportation infrastructure can compensate for the disadvantage of polycentricity in the provision of low-order shopping malls, while it reinforces the merit of monocentricity in higher-order shopping malls. The findings advance the understanding of the relationship between polycentricity and the quantity and quality of consumer amenities and provide insights into polycentric structure policies. • We utilize exploratory spatial data analysis and night-time light to identify urban polycentricity. • A monocentric city tends to support a greater number and higher order of shopping malls. • Improved transportation infrastructure can mitigate the drawbacks of polycentricity in providing low-order shopping malls. • Better transportation infrastructure strengthens the advantages of monocentricity in providing higher-order shopping malls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycentric planning strategies aimed at addressing traffic congestion and other agglomeration diseconomies have not achieved expected effects, leading researchers to doubt the effectiveness of polycentricity. So far, the small stream of literature focusing on the linkage between urban spatial structure and economic performance is inconclusive. This paper examines this linkage from mono- and polycentric perspective using China's Second National Economic Census for cities proper. It concludes that polycentricity benefits urban economic performance, as measured by labor productivity. This result is robust to alternative polycentric indexes and also to TSLS estimations. The heterogeneity tests show the availability of internet, as mediator, could improve the effects of polycentricity on economic performance. These findings support the implementation of polycentric planning strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban traffic is embedded in and fundamentally shaped by the spatial pattern of urban land use, such as city size, density, extent of polycentricity, and the relationship between employment and residential locations. Previous evidence, mainly from European and American cities, suggests that the duration of commute trips increases with city size and the spatial separation between jobs and housing. On the other hand, the influences of density and polycentricity are less clear. Using data from 164 cities in China, this study empirically analyzes the relationship between city average commute duration and multiple dimensions of urban spatial structure. Controlling for economic, demographic, and infrastructure characteristics, we find that commute duration correlates positively with city size and jobs–housing separation but negatively with density and polycentricity. As one of the earliest studies on commute cost in the rapidly urbanizing and motorizing Chinese cities, this study can help Chinese decision makers improve urban economic and environmental efficiency through spatial planning and policy making. Specifically, compact, mixed-use, and polycentric spatial development may ease the burden of commute, and thus substitute for unnecessary infrastructure investment and energy consumption during a period of rapid urban expansion in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

City planners are increasingly drawn to the possibilities of transforming urban spatial structure as an important strategy for reducing air pollution. This paper addresses mixed findings in the existing literature through reliable methodology and heterogeneity tests. We examined the effects of spatial mono- and polycentricity on PM 2.5 concentrations using spatial econometric models based on a three-year panel of data for cities at, or above, the prefecture in China. We found that population density had a robust moderating effect. That is, all else being equal, PM 2.5 concentrations are lower when low-density cities have a strong-monocentric spatial structure and when high-density cities are polycentric. We estimated the population density threshold at which point the relationship between structure and density changes at about 160 persons/km.2 Our findings can serve as a possible criterion for differentiating low- and high-density cities in China and guide policymakers in planning optimal urban structures to mitigate air pollution. • The spatial centralization index and spatial concentration index are used together to quantify polycentricity. • PM 2.5 lower when low-density cities have strong-monocentric spatial structure. • Densely populated cities can reduce PM 2.5 concentrations using a polycentric structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Polycentric structure decreases the mean CO 2 concentrations of city regions. • Significant CO 2 reductions are observed in primary city centers. • Mild CO 2 increases are observed in city subcenters. • This reduction is affected by commuting, industry, and household emissions factors. • Polycentric spatial strategies should be implemented into urban planning practices. The environmental sustainability of polycentric spatial structures in urban planning must be evaluated to ensure the sustainable development of city regions. Given the mixed conclusions of previous studies, as well as the lack of information on reliable methods of assessment and quantifiable mechanisms, a three-year dataset for prefecture-level and above city regions in China and spatial econometric models were used to examine the relationship between regional polycentricity and CO 2 concentrations. After robust testing, we confirmed that polycentric structures decrease the mean CO 2 concentrations of city regions, significantly reducing CO 2 concentrations in primary city centers and mildly increasing those in city subcenters. Further quantitative analyses of the mechanisms underlying these patterns revealed that the CO 2 -reduction effect of polycentric structures is due to the balancing of reductions in commuting duration, transference of industrial CO 2 to neighboring areas, and an increase in household CO 2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Debates of polycentricity or dispersal concerning the locational patterns of decentralized employment have caused widespread concern owing to their differing social and economic consequences. However, studies relating to these debates do not account for the reasons for the inconsistencies. Based on available point employment data, this paper seeks to respond to the debates by documenting and explaining the spatial transformation of Shanghai at different geographic scales. We find that the period from 2004 to 2008 captures a trend of employment centralization. But a reverse trend of decentralization occurred between 2008 and 2013, which is characterized by general dispersal at a large scale, accompanied by polycentricity at a small scale. These results contribute to the literature by highlighting the role of scale effect in addressing the debates about polycentricity or dispersal and provide insights for identifying urban spatial structure in planning practice. • Examine Shanghai spatial transformation using fishnets at 14 geographical scales • Shanghai is dispersal at the larger scale and polycentricity at the smaller scale. • Scale effect is a key to address the debate on polycentricity or dispersal. • Introduce new knowledge to the urban spatial transformation theories [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linking the urban spatial structure with residential mobility is a vital yet challenging mission. With a unique dataset tracking changes in individual residential locations in Shanghai from 2014 to 2015, this paper portrays the directional trajectories of Shanghai's spatial structure and rigorously examines the motivations of residents for different spatial preferences with the approach of propensity score matching. By classifying the spatial structure into four typologies, polycentricity, sprawl, dispersed-monocentricity and compact-monocentricity, we find that relocated residents push Shanghai's spatial structure in greater favor of sprawl or compact-monocentricity. Furthermore, the movers towards sprawl, decentralized-monocentricity and compact-monocentricity mainly benefit from housing, jobs, and neighborhood amenities, respectively; and the movers towards the polycentric spatial structure can take the advantage of favorable house prices. These results shed light on the process of shaping the urban spatial structure and offer valuable insights into residents' spatial preferences. • It contributes by linking the urban spatial structure with residential mobility. • Relocated residents push Shanghai's spatial structure in greater favor of sprawl or compact-monocentricity. • The movers that contribute to the shaping of different urban spatial structures can take advantage of various advantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]