Tehran Advanced Producer Services. Analysis of Spatial and Functional Characteristics

Alireza MOHAMMADI1
1 University of Mohaghegh, Faculty of Humanities, Department of Geography, Ardabili, IRAN
E-mail: a.mohammadi@uma.ac.ir
Pages: 187-199

Abstract. This paper examined the spatial and functional structure of Advanced Producer Services (APS) within Tehran metropolitan area from a geographical point of view. The main purpose of this research was to examine the determinants of location pattern and site selection of APS firms, as well as their functions in world cities network. Analysis of data collected via questionnaires, interviews, and published documents from 200 firms out of 2000 firms revealed the following: First, Tehran is a national command and control centre of the APS sector in Iran. Second, Tehran has a very weak status in the world cities network in terms of APS functions and it is yet to be a world city. Third, APS firms have formed a new geography of APS in the last two decades in Tehran (i.e., "Tehran Corporate Services District") which is different from the conventional Central Business District (CBD) of Tehran. The results of this research and literature review revealed that Tehran has high capabilities to attain trans-national functions in the APS sector in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. In this regard, a set of policies have been proposed.

K e y w o r d s:  economic globalization, world cities, advanced producer services, spatial and functional characteristics, Tehran