Networks, Commuting and Spatial Structures: An Introduction

More recently, a great deal of attention has been given to the network concept, which illustrates the idea that many spatial economic phenomena can be described by a network of interactions among agents – where interconnectivity and interoperability between the different economic systems play a significant role. Connectivity structures – based on network topology – are regarded here as one of the fundamental factors that influence the complexity pattern of systems’ interaction and social/economic behaviour. Such network embedding seems crucial, for example, to understand how transportation networks are vulnerable/resilient, or how commuting flows and employment evolve, or how hierarchical land use patterns develop over time. Reflections on the relationships between networks and commuting – and hence on the role of connectivity and spatial structures – certainly constitute a focal point of the current research.