Date: 13 oct, 2014

REPORT: Growth pole theory

A French regional economist Francis Perroux (François Perroux-1955) introduced the
concept of ‘Growth Pole’.

To quote a well-known passage from Perroux in this connection:

Growth does not appear everywhere at the same time; it appears at points or poles of
growth with varying intensity; it spreads along various channels and with differing
overall effects on the whole economy.

The core idea of the growth poles theory is that economic development, or growth, is
not uniform over an entire region, but instead takes place around a specific pole.

What is growth pole?

A central location of economic activity.

An urban location where economic activity ignites growth and better quality of life in
the urban periphery.

Source: Dr Mandla S. V. Gantsho, Vice President - Infrastructure, Private

Sector, African Development Bank

Clusters
Clusters are geographic concentrations of interconnected institutions in a particular
location.

Importance
Studies illustrates that businesses located in a cluster has a stronger growth and survival
rate than those located outside it.

Physical proximity of companies in a cluster facilitates exchanges of information and

talent. Industry specific equipment is often more readily available within a cluster.

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Terminal flow of the growth pole

Source: Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue, Dept. of Global Studies & Geography , Hofstra University,
New York, USA

Above mention figures-A shows that initially any single growth pole started and then its
dependent terminal started clustering near that parent or growth pole. And then due to
that cluster peoples started migrating nearer to that so it creates an agglomeration near
that.

Same way figure-B shows that due to the growth of that primary pole, another growth
pole also started over that region it is called secondary growth pole. This may connect
with the primary terminal. And then it will grow like primary growth pole.

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Example: (1) Vidhyanagar as an educational hub

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Explanation:

Before independence vallabh vidhyanagar has nothing for growth. After independence Sardar
vallabhbhai Patel and Bhaikaka have set the vision to make vidhyanagar as an educational hub.

 Initially BVM College established in 1948 under that vision in which civil, mechanical and
electrical were the pioneer department. Due to that, student started gathering in
vidhyanagar for education purpose and made an agglomeration. As education level
increase other engineering department also started for education. So to fulfill all
requirements other colleges started over there. So they make one cluster which
represents the engineering field. So Engineering is a primary growth pole in vallabh
vidhyanagar.
 After the growth of engineering field, it creates the demand for other field for better
education. So other field like commerce, science, pharmacy, architecture, etc. also
started. Same way for standard education, students started gathering and made an
agglomeration and individually every department has made their clusters. So the other
fields become the secondary and the tertiary growth pole.

Thus the vallabh vidhyanagar has grown by groth pole method. And now it becomes an
educational hub of Gujarat.

(2) Ankleshwar as an industrial town

Ankleshwar the leading producer of chemical wealth in the country. So due to that there are
number of industries has been established in Ankleshwar.

Growth pole:
 In 1968 first approach toward the manufacturing has been started petroleum industry
by ONGC and also ATUL chemical, LUPIN pharmaceutical company.
 Due to this company establishment there are some other small scale chemical industry
work near by place and they make a good cluster.

Agglomeration:
 Before 1968 Ankleshwar is a small town. But after ongc and some other industry came
and the scenario suddenly change.
 People migrate in Ankleshwar from near by villages and towns for job, labor work &
other work.
 So agglomeration created over there.

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Growth Pattern:

 In the beginning there is primary growth pole is chemical industries. But after that
some other industries like casting, piping, plastic, glass, automobile parts etc,
manufacturing has been started. This way the development of Ankleshwar has started
and now also it is growing same way.
 So Ankleshwar good example of growth pole and also core-periphery.

Growth pole core – periphery

REFERENCES:
• Growth-pole Strategies in Regional Economic Planning :
Urban Stud 1999; 36; 1195 DOI : 10.1080/0042098993187
• Theoretical and Empirical Researches in urban management :
Volume-6, Issue-2 / May 2011
• https://people.hofstra.edu/geotrans/eng/ch2en/conc2en/growthpoles.html
• http://questions.gktoday.in/2012/12/what-is-growth-poles-theory-139/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois_Perroux
• http://www.answers.com/topic/growth-pole

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