This research aims to identify the factors which influence the location of technology-based firms. For this purpose, a conceptual research model on the location of firms, based on the neoclassical, behavioural and institutional views is developed. In order to reach these objectives, an empirical study was developed based on a questionnaire filled by 203 technology-based firms located in the Beira Interior region (Portugal). The resulting data was subject to two types of statistical analyses: bivariate and multivariate analyses. It was possible to identify crucial factors that mostly influence the location of these firms. These factors were: founder’s wish to live in a particular locality, employees’ wish to live in that particular locality; proximity to the residence of the founder; birthplace of the founder; and the level of economic activity in the region.
Contribution of local theories for regional development: an empirical study applied to technology-based firms
NECE – Research Centre in Business Sciences, UBI, Rua da Cooperativa – S. Romão, 2414-017 Leiria, Portugal
João M. Ferreira received his PhD in Management and He is Associate Professor at the University of Beira Interior (UBI) – Portugal and researcher at the Research Unit in Science Business (NECE). His main research interests are strategy, competitiveness and entrepreneurship. He is Associate Editor of several journals and Co-Editor-in-Chief of International Journal of Management Science and Information Technology.
Carla Susana Marques received her PhD in Business and teaches innovation and entrepreneurship to undergraduate, Master and Doctoral students at the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Portugal, and researcher at the Centre for Transdisciplinary Development Studies (CETRAD). Her main research interests are innovation, entrepreneurship education and women entrepreneurship.
Cristina I. Ferandes received her PhD in Management and she is a Professor at the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB); Instituto Superior de Línguas e Administração de Leiria (ISLA), and researcher at the Research Unit in Science Business (NECE). Her main research interests are KIBS and regional competitiveness. She has published several papers in international journals.
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