a decreasing appreciation of the locations on its west flank while in the period between
1993 and 2003, this decrease extends to the eastern flank.
The results of factor analysis on the survey data suggest that three fundamental
dimensions determine the rating of possible firm locations by entrepreneurs: potency,
activity, and evaluation. Potency may be understood as centrality of location. Activity is
correlated to agglomeration size. Landscape and culture probably determine the
evaluative dimension.
References
CROXTON, F.E., D.J. COWDEN & B.W. BOLCH (1969), Practical business statistics. Englewood
Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
DIRKZWAGER, A. (1966), Intelligentie en schoolprestaties: Een empirisch onderzoek. Amsterdam:
Swets & Zeitlinger.
HOLVOET, M. (1981), Localisation industrielle en Belgique: Cartes mentales et préférences spatiales
d’un groupe de futurs responsables économiques. Revue Belge de Géographie 105, pp. 41-57.
MEESTER, W.J. (1994), Recent changes in the locational preferences of Dutch entrepreneurs. Paper for
the 34th European Congress of the Regional Science Association, Groningen.
MEESTER, W.J. (2000), Locational self-preference of firms. Paper for the 40th European Congress of
the Regional Science Association, Barcelona.
MEESTER, W.J. (2004), Locational preferences of entrepreneurs: Stated preferences in The Netherlands
and Germany. Heidelberg: Physica.
OSGOOD, C.E., G.J. SUCI & P.H. TANNENBAUM (1957), The measurement of meaning. Urbana,
Illinois: University of Illinois Press.
PELLENBARG, P.H. (1977), Bedrijfsmigratie in Nederland: Een onderzoek naar migratiemotieven en
hun betekenis voor regionale ontwikkeling, Deel II: Onderzoeksresultaten. Groningen: Stichting
Noord-Holland-Noord/Industriecommissie Hollands Noorderkwartier.
PELLENBARG, P.H. (1985), Bedrijfsrelokatie en ruimtelijke kognitie: Onderzoekingen naar bedrijfs-
verplaatsingsprocessen en de subjektieve waardering van vestigingsplaatsen door ondernemers in
Nederland. Geografisch Instituut, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (Sociaal-Geografische Reeks 33).
PELLENBARG, P.H. & W.J. MEESTER (1984), Location decisions and spatial cognition: Some
research findings from the Netherlands. In: M. de Smidt & E. Wever, eds., A profile of Dutch
economic geography. Assen: Van Gorcum, pp. 105-128.
PRED, A. (1967), Behavior and location: Foundations for a geographic and dynamic location theory, part
I. Department of Geography, University of Lund (Lund Studies in Geography B 27).
SIMON, H.A. (1957), Models of man: social and rational: Mathematical essays on rational human
behavior in a social setting. New York: Wiley.
15