

Friedmann's Stages of Growth Model
STAGE 1: When towns/regions are developing
independently with very minimal contact
between them - possibly some basic trading
of goods.

STAGE 2: One town or region becomes
dominant, probably because it has more
physical or human resources. The core starts
attracting people and investment from other
regions.

STAGE 3: New smaller cores (semi-periphery)
start to develop and there is an increase in
flows between the core and the semiperiphery (two ways flows e.g. FDI)

STAGE 4: All areas are now developed and
fully dependent upon each other with flows of
capital and people in both directions
The theory states that
as prosperity grows,
the majority of the
wealth is enjoyed by a
core of the
population.
CORE: Assumes that the core focuses
on high skilled capital intensive jobs
and industries.
SEMI-PERIPHERY and PERIPHERY:
Assumes that these areas focus on
more low skilled labour intensive
industries and jobs.
Furthermore, even
though the periphery
has a greater
population, it is the
countries with the
strongest economic
system that holds the
strongest
government.
Areas that are closer together are more likely to
interact, where as areas further away are less
likely to interact with each other.
To what extent do you think this is true?

Learning objectives: To be able to explain how a
reduction in the friction of distance results in time–
space convergence


Look at all of the resources in the room in
turn
Complete the sheet next to them. You need
to have a new idea each time

The reduction in the time taken to travel
between two places due to improvements in
transportation or communication technology


Require technologies that overcome the
frictional effect of distance and time.
Enabling technologies – transport and
communications. These allow developments
in trade to occur.



before 19th century these occurred at the
same time.
Electricity broke the link between the two.
Developments have led to unprecedented
mobility of goods and materials –
GLOBALISATION