lOccupation

Loccupation is a term used in urban economics, regional planning, and sociology to describe the degree to which a locality concentrates its employment opportunities and the occupations that residents perform. It combines the idea of locality with employment structure to capture how closely a region’s jobs match the skills and residences of its population. The term is not widely standardized and appears mainly in theoretical discussions and case studies of regional labor markets.

Definition and scope: Loccupation can refer to two related phenomena. First, the localization of employment, where a region hosts a high share of jobs in a narrow set of industries. Second, the proximity of where people live to where they work, which reduces commuting distances. Loccupation can reflect policy choices, historical specialization, or market-driven clustering.

Measurement and indicators: Analysts may use location quotients to gauge occupational concentration, commuting rates to assess local employment matching, and measures of resident-place employment overlap. Longitudinal analysis can reveal how loccupation evolves with industry shocks, infrastructure changes, and housing dynamics.

Implications: High loccupation can enhance productivity through agglomeration effects and reduce travel times, but may also constrain labor mobility and increase vulnerability to sector-specific downturns. Policy responses include investing in diverse local skills, promoting housing near employment centers, and supporting cross-cluster linkages.

See also: localization, industrial clustering, agglomeration economies, regional policy.