Global city clusters: theorizing spatial and non-spatial proximity in inter-urban firm networks

Abstract

Kirsten Martinusa* http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9727-7310 & Thomas J. Siglerb http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9727-7310a Centre of Regional Development, School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.b School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.kirsten.martinus@uwa.edu.au ABSTRACTSpatial agglomeration is well theorized within regional studies and economic geography, with firm- and industry-level advantages generally attributable to the strategic benefits derived from spatial proximity. Increasingly, alternative proximity types have been explored to explain firm relationships within and between industries. This paper applies a novel social network analysis (SNA) approach to analyze city clustering as a function of both spatial and non-spatial factors – namely, economic, sociocultural and geopolitical. Based on the internal reporting structures of Australia-based firms, it explores how ‘global clusters’ are more useful in understanding industry dynamics and processes than hierarchical lists of cities of cascading importance.

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