Cities and Suburbs as Corporate Service Centers

摘要

This study examined cities and suburbs as corporate service centers by analyzingwhere the headquarters of major companies obtain 13 financial and professional services. The study compares the extent to which firms based in central cities and suburbs obtain services from firms in their central cities, elsewhere in their metro areas, or in other metro areas. It also: (1) looks for differences in the service-provider locations by client-firm size, age, ownership, and metro area, (2) identifies the leading centers for individual services, (3) examines the extent to which providers serve companies outside their metro areas, and (4) examines the service linkages of client-firms and service-providers based in nonmetro areas. The study found that central city companies rarely used service firms from their suburbs or satellite cities. Suburban companies are somewhat more reliant on suburban service providers, but they depend far more on providers either in their central cities or in other metro areas. When companies hire service firms from outside their metro areas, they almost always use one based in central cities.