• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.40 no.2 s.107
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• pp.187-201
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• 2005

With the trend of urban polynucleation, the issue of detecting economic clusters or urban employment centers has been considered as crucial. However, the prior researches had some limitations in detecting economic clusters in the empirical analysis: i.e. inherent inefficiency of density-based clustering methods, difficulty in detecting linear types of spatial clusters and lacks of consideration of economic significance. The purpose of this paper is to propose the clustering method with the procedure of testing statistical and economic significance named as VCEC (Variable Clumping method for Economic Clusters) and to apply it to a case analysis of Erie County, New York, in order to test its validity. By applying a search radius and a total employment as an economic threshold, 'the both statistically and economically significant clusters' were detected in the Erie County, and proved to be efficient.