cite: Whitworth2021
author: Whitworth, A.
year: 2021
title: "Spatial creaming and parking?: The case of the UK work programme"
publisher: Applied Spatial Analysis and Policy
uri: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12061-020-09349-0
pubtype: article
discipline: economics

country: United Kingdom
period: 2011-2017
maxlength: 72
targeting: implicit
group: unemployed
data: Department for Work and Pensions Work Programme statistics

design: observational
method: three-stage linear model
sample: 1494
unit: individual
representativeness: national
causal: 0 # 0 correlation / 1 causal

theory: social creaming & parking (used spatially)
limitations: no causal inferrence attempted
observation:
  - intervention: work programme
    institutional: 0
    structural: 1
    agency: 0
    inequality: spatial
    type: 1 # 0 vertical / 1 horizontal
    indicator: 0 # 0 absolute / 1 relative
    measures: employment
    findings: already deprived areas experience further deprivation
    channels: providers de-prioritize job-weak areas (spatial parking)
    direction: -1 # -1 neg / 0 none / 1 pos
    significance: 2 # 0 nsg / 1 msg / 2 sg

notes:
annotation: |
  An analysis of the spatial consequences of a UK work programme on spatial factors of job deprivation or opportunity increases.
  The programme follows a quasi-marketized approach of rewarding employment-favourable results of transitions into employment and further sustained months in employment.
  The author argues, however, that the non-spatial implementation of the policy leads to spatial outcomes.
  Founded on the approach of social 'creaming' and 'parking' and applied to the spatial dimension,
  the study shows that already job-deprived areas indeed experience further deprivations under the programme,
  while non-deprived areas are correlated with positive impacts, thereby further deteriorating spatial inequality outcomes.
  This occurs because of providers in the programme de-prioritizing the already deprived areas ('parking') in favour prioritizing wealthier areas for improved within-programme results.