Do Software and Videogames firms share location patterns across cities? Evidence from Barcelona, Lyon and Hamburg

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyse common location patterns of Software and Videogames (SVE) industry in Barcelona, Lyon and Hamburg. This is a key industry in developed countries that mainly located at core of bigger metropolitan areas, looking for agglomeration economies, skilled labour and a wide range of spillover effects existent there. Cities used in our empirical application share some common features in terms of size, manufacturing tradition and, specially, economic strategies, as they have managed to promote high-tech neighbourhoods through ambitious urban renewal policies. When analysing location patterns of firms from these industries, although our results highlight predominant role of urban cores of three cities, also indicate important specificities in terms of core-periphery. distribution of SVE’s firms. JEL Codes: R12, C60, L86, N90. Keywords: Software Industry, microgeographic analysis, spatial location patterns, Barcelona, Hamburg, Lyon