A compelling argument for the gravity p-median model

• Published in: European journal of operational research Vol. 226; no. 3; pp. 658 - 660
• Main Authors: Carling, Kenneth, Håkansson, Johan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.05.2013; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Subjects: Allmänt Mikrodataaanalys - handel; Allmänt Mikrodataaanalys - metod; Allmänt Mikrodataaanalys - transporter; Bottlenecks; Facilities planning; General Microdata Analysis - methods; General Microdata Analysis - retail; General Microdata Analysis - transports; Gravitation; Location analysis; Mathematical models; Multi-purpose trips; Operational research; Spatial aggregation; Studies; Travel time; Spatial aggregation; Multi-purpose trips; Travel time
• ISSN: 0377-2217; 1872-6860; 1872-6860
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejor.2012.11.041

► We scrutinize Drezner and Drezners (2006) arguments for using gravity p-median model. ► We exemplifies that their arguments are not enough for certain market situations. ► We then add a compelling argument for using gravity p-median model. The p-median model is used to locate P facilities to serve a geographically distributed population. Conventionally, it is assumed that the population always travels to the nearest facility. Drezner and Drezner (2006, 2007) re-estate three arguments on why this assumption might be incorrect, and they introduce the gravity p-median model to relax the assumption. We favor the gravity p-median model, but we note that in an applied setting, the three arguments are incomplete. In this communication, we point at the existence of a fourth compelling argument for the gravity p-median model.