A research study submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering

Research Studies Project Report (M. Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1985

This study attempts to test the theory of social area analysis, developed by Shevky, Bill, and William, and to explore the social space in Kauohsiung City by factorial ecology analysis. Seven variables , similars to Shevky, Bell indices, are selected for testing the theory. The raw data tile includes 7 x 411 (for Kuaohsiung City). and 7x458 (for Kauohsiung and Fengshan Cities) matrice. From the factor loadings and factor score interpretations, the results show that the case of Kauohsiung City confirms the theory of social area analysis, but it does not fil when the study area is expanded to combine the adjacent Fengshan City. For factorial ecology analysis, 71 population-housing variables for 411 census wards are input for factor analysis, six factors turn out to be significant and together they explain 63.4% of total variance. the first four factors explore the determinants of social structure, and the last two explain the dimensions of physical structure (housing). These six factors are: mobility, socio-economic status of early migrants, Socio-economic status of all populations. ethnic status of late migrants, housing facility, and housing type. The spatial distribution of each factor are interpreted separately to identity the patterns of social and physical structure in kauohsiung City. The results from factorial ecology analysis are compared with other Asian and Western cities in terms of social dimensions of population. Conclusions from this study strongly suggest that social rank, urbanization, and segregation are three essential and fundamental determinants for analyzing social and geographical characteristics of population, and there is significant relationship between pattern of population and pattern of land use.