Coincident with the rhetorical arrival of the Single European Market (SEM) at the start of 1993, Maytag's Hoover subsidiary announced a relocation of production from Dijon in France to Cambuslang in Scotland (Taylor, R., 1993a). The relocation provided a vivid example of the dynamic effects of European integration on the activities of a multinational company - the sorts of effects that are supposed ultimately to benefit EU consumers and promote industry competitiveness. I However, Hoover's decision also prompted fierce criticism in France and began a debate regarding the influence of regional, national and EU policy on the location and quality of multinational investment.