ABSTRACT
The presence, growth, or decline of economic activity in a particular industry within a given region has an effect on the region’s economy that differs according to the nature of the activity and the characteristics of the organisations engaging in the activity. This chapter focuses on differences among enterprises operating in the same industry that may affect the locational needs and impacts of their varied activities. First, hypotheses are developed to relate geographical rationalisation of activities to differences among enterprises in the same industry. Then, published empirical work and unpublished case studies are used to illustrate the relationships posited, within a variety of industrial and geographical contexts. Case materials were compiled from the author’s investigations of the US-based semiconductor-device industry during the 1960–1980 period.
