Paper 2 · market survey methodology
In geography, what general term describes the area or extent over which a settlement, service, or facility (such as a competing mobile network provider) attracts customers and exerts an economic or social effect?
Model answer
sphere of influence
Also accepted: zone of influence, catchment area
Explanation: The sphere of influence (sometimes called the zone of influence or catchment area) is the geographical extent over which a central place, service, or facility draws its customers or users; delimiting it for competing providers is exactly the survey task described, since coverage and market share both depend on identifying where each provider's sphere of influence extends and where it overlaps with rivals.
Derived from ZIMSEC Geography Paper 2, November 2003, Q1
