• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.43-61
• /
• 2000

This study investigate the spatial characteristics and corporate networks of foreign business service firms in Korea. Specifically intrafirm and extrafirm organization of foreign firms are addressed utilizing the corporate network perspective. For this purpose, this study conducted questionnaire and interview surveys for the foreign firms. Parent-subsidiary relationships are focused on the mechanisms by which Transnational Corporations (TNCs) headquarters control and coordinate their foreign affiliates and subsidiaries in order to achieve investment purpose in Korea (overseas market expansion). But extrafirm networks of foreign business services firms in Korea do not appear to play an important role in regional development to date. A low proportion of foreign firms is engaged in academics-industry linkages, and a low number o( foreign firms is formally linked with government organizations, research institutes, and trade associations. To conclude, Foreign direct investment firms in business services in Korea are characteristics by globalized intrafirm networks and localized interfirm and extrafirm networks. It is understood that regional development can be vitalized when Korean local firms have close relationships with technologically advanced foreign firms in tacit knowledge capacity. Foreign firms are able to play an important role in the development of business services in Korea. This study suggests that regional foreign direct investment policy should be targeted towards the corporate networking with foreign firms and domestic firms and incrementation of the potential of foreign firms as a knowledge-intensive industry.