Contact systems, modern agglomeration advantages and foreign investors

Abstract

So far, research on behaviour of foreign investors, their location decisions and contact systems and changing meaning of agglomeration advantages have been on the margin of both theoretical and empirical research in the Czech geography. This article is an introduction to these research problems that gain rising importance due to increasing foreign direct investments in the Czech Republic and also due to political efforts to support successful settlement of current foreign investors. First, the article explains the notion of contact system and gives a review of the most important literature concerned with this field of study. Second, it deals with the role of information in the modern competitive environment and with the new meaning of agglomeration advantages. Crucial theses on the topic are presented and briefly discussed. Finally, a further research agenda is sketched out and key research questions are outlined.