ABSTRACT
This chapter seeks to examine the proposition that, in line with trends elsewhere recorded in the European Union, a substantial concentration of large firm technological activity is evident in Germany. Such agglomerations, in turn, highlight the potential for inter-firm technological communication at such locations. By analysing the precise technological composition of such concentrations, and in particular the incidence of overlap between foreign and indigenous firm research activity, we test the hypothesis that there exists a geographical hierarchy of regional research centres across Europe. As in the previous chapters, undertaking this analysis for large firms located in Germany serves to inform us of this economy's position in the European hierarchy.
