Global firms in local information societies: Work and employment issues for Europe

The strategies of large firms have a major influence on the evolution of the global information society because they dominate the markets for information and communication technologies. This paper examines the user rather than the producer role of large firms, and focuses on the surrounding issues relating to evolving patterns of work and employment. Its discussion of these issues and their policy significance reflects the perspective of the EU on what is effectively a global agenda on the future of work in the information society.     

SUPPLY ARMS AND OPTIMAL SPATIAL STRUCTURE*

ABSTRACT. A multi-plant producer has sole access to a region, and each of the plants processes a raw material which is drawn from its own exclusive supply area. Under these conditions what spatial structure of production (in terms of plant scale, plant frequency, supply-area size and supply-area shape) will enable region-wide or multi-plant profit to be maximized? The form of this optimal structure is shown to vary with prevailing level of price, which is exogenously determined.