Unveiling spatial uncertainty: a method to evaluate the fuzzy nature of functional regions

ABSTRACT

The evaluation of the level of spatial uncertainty builds theoretically on fuzzy set theory and the premise that the affinity of a basic spatial unit may assume values along a continuum between zero and full affinity. The paper briefly presents the motivation for the evaluation of fuzziness in functional regions based on daily travel-to-work flows. It discusses the existing measures of affinity and proposes a new approach to evaluate the fuzzy nature of functional regions. The proposed methodological innovations are tested using the example of the two-tier hierarchical system of functional regions in the Czech Republic.

KEYWORDS:

• spatial uncertainty
• functional regions
• fuzziness
• membership index
• travel-to-work flows
• Czech Republic

JEL:

• J61
• R12

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Marián Halás http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1335-7055

Pavel Klapka http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9631-9400

Martin Erlebach http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9122-9596

Notes

1. This task should rather be called a regional taxonomy, which is a more accurate term (e.g., Fischer, 1987).

2. The tables in Watts’ paper include some results with reference to the use of an interaction measure, but the procedure is not explained.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Czech Science Foundation, ‘Spatial Uncertainty and Fuzzy Regional Systems: Identification, Analysis and Implications of Pulsating Functional Regions’ [grant number 16-13502S].