The impacts of Walter Isard on geography

In the course of preparing this paper, which initially focused solely on identifying the impacts of input-output analysis on geography, a much broader perspective on the impacts of Walter Isard on geography ultimately emerged. In the tradition of input-output analysis, these impacts are grouped into direct, indirect, and induced effects, and summarized under the heading of influence. Walter Isard touched the lives of many through personal relationships, books and articles, and an energetic devotion to and enthusiasm for the creation of a regional science association. The Regional Science Association and its publications supported something of a greenhouse environment in which the seedlings of GIS and scientific geography could take root, until they were well enough established to enter mainstream geography. While clearly not limited to geography, the fruits of Walter Isard’s labors continue to populate the discipline through his contemporaries, their students, students’ students, and so on. The formative years of both regional science and scientific geography left an indelible mark on the nature of geographic inquiry. Introduction When first asked to prepare and contribute an article for this journal, to be included in an issue celebrating Walter Isard and fifty years of the Regional Science Association, I was eager to participate. My topic was to be the impact of the input-output framework on geography. As a geographer for whom both the input-output framework and impact assessments have been near and dear, I set out with some considerable enthusiasm. Along the way, however, the path took some interesting turns, and I learned much about an era of great significance to both geography and regional science.