The organisation and economic geographies of marketing and public relations businesses in the West Midlands

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Williams, Stephen (2010). The organisation and economic geographies of marketing and public relations businesses in the West Midlands. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

This thesis examines the marketing and public relations industries in a sub-region of the West Midlands GOR, which stretches from Birmingham to the country towns and villages of Warwickshire and Worcestershire. The area is characterised as a hotspot for particular knowledge intensive businesses and entrepreneurial activity. By undertaking a whole sector analysis the formation and embeddedness of firms within the tight-knit marketing and PR community are elucidated.

Examining acts of entrepreneurship and firm formation highlight the importance of different factors in the individual decision-making processes of new enterprise start-ups. This produces a plethora of small business organisations that service clients at distance using information and communication technologies (ICT), coupled with the concomitant industry expertise and contacts. There is a stretching of networks, enabled by ICT, whereby pre-existing relationships continue to be exploited. Consequently all firms, including home-based businesses and micro firms are easily established and represent a plethora of business models engaging in networks at a range of spatial scales.

This thesis argues that BPS sectors are characterised by a plurality of business organisations which are crucial for the continual development of the sectors. Integral to this are ICT which facilitate a set of extensively and intensively flexible business organisations.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):