Geographies of Corporate Decision‐Making and Control: Development, Applications, and Future Directions in Headquarters Location Research

Abstract

Abstract This article surveys the body of investigation related to the location of headquarters and other elite corporate decision‐making activities, a research field known as quaternary location studies. The discussion includes four main sections following an introduction. The first reviews the initial development of headquarters location research from the early 20th century to 1980. The second section discusses contemporary developments and criticisms of the field that have diversified the field beyond its early focus on large‐firm headquarters alone to examine the geography of all activities related to corporate decision making. We posit that incorporation of rapidly growing firms in quaternary research is a key element of this diversification. The third section examines the possibilities for further headquarters location research by making a connection between decision‐making location and the literature of techno‐economic paradigms. The article concludes by summarizing the current state of the field, and argues that a continued diversification of research interests and perspectives is vital to the advancement of quaternary location studies as an important contributor to improved corporate strategies and more effective public policy.