Locational challenges and opportunities for SMEs in border regions. Issue 10 (2nd October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Makkonen, Teemu; Leick, Birgit
• Is Part Of: European planning studies. Volume 28:Issue 10(2020)
• Page Start: 2078
• Page End: 2098
• Publication Date: 2020-10-02
• Subjects: Border region -- cross-border cooperation -- cross-border externalities -- entrepreneurs -- SMEs; Regional planning -- Europe -- Periodicals; Regional planning -- Periodicals; 307.76094
• DOI: 10.1080/09654313.2019.1705765
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0965-4313

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The present paper explores the unresolved issue in regional planning of whether small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) benefit from being located in border regions in terms of cross-border cooperation opportunities and cross-border externalities. By systematically reviewing the existing literature on the topic with the help of a mapping review, it suggests the following answer: SMEs in border regions do benefit from cross-border cooperation opportunities. However, there is no strong empirical support of a prevalence of positive cross-border externalities. Rather, the review finds that SMEs in border regions are influenced by negative cross-border externalities. Since the results do not point in a clear-cut direction, given their high degree of context-specificity, we claim that further studies on the topic are necessary to combine the established knowledge on SME-based entrepreneurship with planning theories and concepts taken from the literature on borders, border asymmetries and border regions.