Manufacturing industry relocation trends from the perspective of field theory: The case of the belt and road Sino-Europe economic corridor

Abstract

The relocation nature of manufacturing industries involves searching for the lowest location and production costs. This paper proposes a method of analysing the relocation of manufacturing industries from the perspective of field theory based on location accessibility. First, this paper analogizes the “diffusion” and “agglomeration” of manufacturing firms to the physical potential of field theory and proposes a manufacturing industry pattern field. Second, location accessibility, consisting of labour, land rent and multimodal transport costs, is considered the potential of the manufacturing industry pattern field. Finally, the potential relocation trends of nine specific manufacturing industries in the Belt and Road Sino-Europe Economic Corridor are analysed. The results indicate that China and Singapore play a dual role in manufacturing relocation trends. At the same time, manufacturing industries will relocate to Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East and Central/Eastern Europe.