Spatial Distribution and Location Determinants of High-Tech Firms in Shenzhen, a Chinese National Innovative City

Abstract

The development of high-tech firms is a vital driver for the economic growth of a city but their distribution and location determinants at the intra-urban level are still unclear. We aim to deepen the understanding of location determinants of high-tech firms, so we construct an analytical framework and use GeoDetector to investigate high-tech firms in Shenzhen based on firms and POI open data in 2023. We find that high-tech firms are distributed in a spatial pattern of ‘one core and six clusters’ with high density in the western area despite industrial heterogeneity. Agglomeration economies and amenity-based factors play a significant role in the distribution of high-tech firms. Institutional factors and classical locational factors have more significant effects on the location of high-tech service and manufacturing firms, respectively. This study contributes to the literature on study spatial units, the influence of amenities, and industrial specificities. These findings highlight public policies on industrial park planning, transportation systems, and public services.

Keywords

• location decisions
• industrial district planning
• agglomeration economies
• urban amenities