MA, Kent State University, 2007, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Geography

There has been a growing interest among the academia and the private sector for the use of GIS techniques in the analysis and planning of retail store network. Over the past few decades the methodologies used for research of sighting of retail outlets have become more sophisticated as a result of applicable modeling procedures being developed with GIS. This study conducts a retail location analysis of the relationship between the fast-food store performance of McDonald's and Burger King and the various spatial and socio-economic factors of their respective catchment areas. Analytical procedures in GIS and statistical techniques have been applied to carry out the analysis in this study. Study areas have been partitioned into a set of Thiessen polygons and into various spatial configurations using variable buffer polygons to emulate various spatial configurations of catchment areas (i.e., trade areas) associated with each fast food store. The socio-economic profiles in the partitioned polygons have been analyzed with a series of regression models. The result of the study has brought out a better understanding of how location factors influence the performance of the stores as well as how the socio-economic attributes of the catchment areas affect the store revenues.

Committee: Jay Lee (Advisor) Subjects: