Geographies of knowledge formation in advanced producer services: some evidence from the Dutch Randstad

Abstract

An important source of competitiveness for mega city-regions results from their capacity to combine a strong local knowledge capital base with high levels of connectivity to similar regions elsewhere in the global economy. Globally networked advanced producer services firms are presumed to play a key role in transferring knowledge between local and global circuits. But how does this actually work? Which kinds of knowledge may be acquired through global networks and which others not? An in-depth analysis of the practices of knowledge production by advanced producer services firms in the mega city-region of the Randstad provides answers.