Är närhet en geografisk fråga? Företags affärsverksamhet och geografi - en studie av beroenden mellan företag och lokaliseringens betydelse

Sammanfattning: The need for proximity and the ability to overcome distance have always influenced the way people use the surface of the earth to make plans for society and organise its maintenance. A common feature in describing and analysing concentrations of companies, industries and business relationships is proximity, a concept that can have different meanings in both psychological and geographical terms.The aim of this study is to describe and analyse the interplay between geography and business relations of manufacturing companies in order to increase understanding of how companies depend on other companies and on the space, and how this influences the companies and the view of location.Three empirical studies were designed to investigate how the manufacturing companies related to other companies within a geographically limited area. These were conducted for the purpose of developing a deeper knowledge of these local business relationships and of finding possible connections between the companies.The results of the investigations show that there are no strong connections between a company's purchase and selling activities and the local environment nor between the most important business relations and the local environment.The great variety of literature about space and its importance contains many conclusions. Geographical concentrations exist and are important, but there is a great variation of approaches and opinions concerning the reasons for and the importance of location.The natural space for a company is its business relations with customers and suppliers. The company's geographical space, embracing its network of relations, forms a space where an indefinite number of possible local, regional, national and international combinations exists. The strictly geographical limitations will, in this perspective, be of less importance than the virtual geographical space created within these business relations. Studies of economic geography in manufacturing companies will be closer to the practical reality for companies if they are carried out from this widened perspective.