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Functional fragmentation and the location of multinational firms in the enlarged Europe

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Abstract

Despite the recent advances in the theory of location, the analysis of the role of services surrounding production activity has been largely neglected. This paper analyzes the co-location of a multinational firm's value chain in the enlarged European Union. Depending on its particular characteristics, each function (or activity) would favor different country characteristic. Opposing this dispersion force, vertical linkages between stages can encourage firms to co-locate different activities in the same country. We use recently collected individual firm data on almost 11 000 location choices for a 5 years period and 23 countries. We analyze the determinants of location choice for each activity, including sectoral and functional agglomeration variables. We also illuminate the co-location of functions at the firm level, specifically that of R&D and production

Suggested Citation

  • Fabrice Defever, 2006. "Functional fragmentation and the location of multinational firms in the enlarged Europe," Cahiers de la Maison des Sciences Economiques bla06052, Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1).
    • Handle: RePEc:mse:wpsorb:bla06052
    DOI: 10.1016/j.regsciurbeco.2006.06.007
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Functional fragmentation; vertical linkages; location choice;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • L22 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Organization and Market Structure
    • R3 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Real Estate Markets, Spatial Production Analysis, and Firm Location

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