LOCATION OF PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS SERVICES - CONCEPTUAL DISCUSSION AND A SWEDISH CASE-STUDY

The location pattern of advanced professional business services is a m atter of interest among scholars in economic geography and neighbourin g disciplines. This article considers location factors in the context of a conceptual discussion as well as a Swedish case-study. The conclu sions suggest that there are reasons to reevaluate the relative import ance of different location factors. Although the factor of proximity t o clients (the market) is important and tends to dominate the discussi on in much research in geography, it offers only a partial explanation of the location of professional business services firms. This article produces arguments for the importance of several other location facto rs: professional labour, localization and urbanization economies, and the circumstances surrounding the establishment of firms as well as th eir subsequent history.