Urban growth and labor dynamic: an inter-sectoral analysis of commuting flows in the Madrid region (1996-2004)

This article analyze the relation between urban structure and labor markets, with the purpose of valuing to what extent the monocentric model fits with the recent development of Madrid metropolitan area. Starting with the analysis of the territorial localization of companies and households within the Madrid region, we analyze the inter-municipal commuting flows between 1996-2004. Then, by the calculation of entropy for a set of inter-municipal matrix of commuting flows, the sprawl of population and economic activity is quantified. Finally, by means of techniques of structural change analysis in the input-output framework, the inter-temporal stability of mobility patterns is analysed, identifying significant differences among sectors.