City-regions, International Business and (Uneven) Development : Some Observations and Themes for Future Research

This was an invited presentation at the special symposium on 'Cities and the Strategies of Multinational Corporations' organised by the International Business/International Management Special Interest Group of the British Academy of Management. Other contributions in the symposium came from Frank McDonald and Gary Cook (University of Liverpool). The presentation explores a number issues relating to the role of cities in the activities of Multinational Corporations. The contribution draws insights from the fields of International Business and Economic Geography/Regional Studies, highlighting differences and synergies between these two disciplinary traditions. Elements of a future research agenda are outlined, based around four inter-related themes.