Social participation and social capital with equity and efficiency: An approach from central-place theory

• There are consumers who are not reachable by particular goods and services.
• Location model in rural area is examined where local population constantly declines.
• Main objective is to reduce equity-related problem that may also improve efficiency.
• Establishment of a wider-regional rural central-place system is introduced.
• Well-balanced infrastructure for both producers and households needs to be satisfied.

A great deal of attention has been paid to the efficiency of the analysis of sustainable urban and regional growth. This includes social participation and social capital, which require a consideration of equity. In this paper, an approach from central-place theory for sustainable urban and regional growth is examined, taking into consideration relevant variables such as ageing, social interaction and accessibility. A lack of consideration of equity could cause several social exclusion problems, and these problems could develop into spatial consumer exclusion. Solutions for these problems would not only improve equity but also efficiency, and the outcome would addresses the necessity of an alternative spatial formation based on a wider-regional rural central-place system according to given economic, social and spatial configurations.