Research on the Spatial Distribution Pattern of Producer Service Firms in Urban Harbin

Abstract. The spatial distribution pattern of producer service firms is a significant part of the spatial distribution of industry. In this paper a strategy to get the spatial distribution pattern of producer service firms was proposed by using cartographic generalization, the local Getis-Ord Gi* statistic and overlay method. First, a basic geographic layer, main contained road and residential, should be drawn utilizing cartographic generalization. Second, an enterprise thematic layer, shown the agglomeration effect of producer service firms, was drawn using the local Getis-Ord Gi* statistic. Finally, get the spatial distribution pattern of producer service firms overlaying the basic geographic layer with enterprise thematic layer. Taking urban Harbin, China as a case study, an empirical study was conducted with data of producer service firms in 2016. The results indicated four distribution regions: (i) it showed the high hot agglomeration effect in centre urban Harbin; (ii) it appeared hot agglomeration effect in both north and south of centre urban Harbin; (iii) some of producer service firms randomly distributed in the surrounding area; and (iv) a fraction of producer service firms scattered in the peripheral area.