The Booming cities in Chile: The role of export activity in the urban employment dynamics

Title
The Booming cities in Chile: The role of export activity in the urban employment dynamics
AuthorRehner, J.3, Rodríguez, S., Murray, WE.
Line(s)Sociospatial Dynamics
Year of Publication2018
Journal TitleEURE-REVISTA LATINOAMERICANA DE ESTUDIOS URBANO REGIONALES
Keywordseconomic geography; urban economy; economic restructuring
AbstractDuring the beginning of the 21st century, cities in Chile have experienced a phase of rapid expansion regarding export activities. While a booming export sector may produce negative effects on other activities, there are also important impulses on urban economies, especially through the demand for “non-tradable” services, or through investment of excessive rents and the secondary circuit of capital. By contrasting booming and non-booming cities in Chile through a quantitative exercise, we identify different explanations for employment trends in three service sectors that are highly relevant for the urban economy. In booming cities there are important positive effects due to mining employment and revenues on employment in the construction and retail sectors. On the other hand, in the non-booming cities, mining loses its outstanding role, while public spending and the non-metal industry (including agricultural products processing) are more relevant to explain urban employment.
Doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0250-71612018000100151 
Corresponding AuthorJohannes Rehner, jrehner@uc.cl