Abstract: The underlying theme of this book is the impact of the increasing globalization of economic activity, and the advent of the knowledge-based economy, on the spatial distribution of economic activity, both between countries and within countries. More especially, it seeks to reconcile the paradox of ‘slippery space’, as demonstrated by the growing transnationalization of the production of goods and services, and that of ‘sticky places’ as shown by the increasing tendency for certain kinds of economic activity—and particularly knowledge-intensive activities—to be concentrated, or clustered, in limited spatial areas. These twin forces, both of which have been separately identified and extensively analysed in the literature, may be considered as opposite sides of the same spatial coin. In this book, they are viewed from the lenses of several scholarly disciplines, each of which is advancing understanding of one of the most significant trends of our day and age. The book is divided into four main parts. Part One first identifies the key analytical issues to be examined later, and then presents geographical, economic, and business perspectives of these. Part Two looks at the role of macroregions as units of spatial analysis. Part Three contains eight country studies. Part Four examines in more detail some of the policy implications of the subject matter dealt with in earlier chapters. The book is aimed at scholars and graduate students in the fields of business, economics, geography, and political science.

Keywords: economic activity, geographical distribution, globalization, knowledge-based economy, regional distribution, spatial distribution