ANALYZING THE SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES USING THE GRAVITY MODEL

• Published in: Theoretical and Empirical Researches in Urban Management Vol. 17; no. 3; pp. 30 - 53
• Main Authors: GHARBIEH, Sara Abu, AL TAL, Raed, Hashimi, Imad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies - Research Center in Public Administration and Public Services 01.08.2022; Academia de Studii Economice - Centrul de Cercetare in Administratie si Servicii Publice (CCASP); Research Center in Public Administration and Public Services; Academia de Studii Economice Bucuresti; Research Centre in Public Administration & Public Services
• Subjects: Cities; Consumer behavior; Data collection; Economic development; Geography, Regional studies; Gravity; Higher Education; Human capital; Immigration; Infrastructure; Interaction models; Management; Methodology and research technology; Planning; Private schools; Private universities and colleges; Profits; Public transportation; Qualitative analysis; Regional Geography; Research methodology; Site selection; Spatial distribution; Students; Surveys; Traffic congestion; United Kingdom; ProductionConstrained Gravity Model; Gravity Model; Jordan; Private universities; Spatial Interaction Model
• ISSN: 2065-3913; 2065-3921

This study assesses the spatial distribution of private universities using a Spatial Interaction Model (SIM) called Gravity Model (GM). It attempts to develop and validate a model that explains the prospective students’ attractions and priorities to enroll in private universities in Jordan as a case study. Research methodology is a mixed methods embedded design that includes qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. It involves a survey for 608 students. Data collected from the survey are used in a proposed Production-Constrained Gravity Model. The results revealed that students’ sensitivity to the distance (location) variable is considerably high. Similar method can be used as a tool to find out the best location for a proposed university in other countries worldwide. The importance of this research lies in the absence of the scientific methodological spatial studies related to the selection of universities locations. It also proposes a gravity model formula that can be used in evaluating the suitability of a certain site for the location of a new private university in Amman, Jordan. The same methodology can be used worldwide in the field of urban management.