Martijn J Burger
Biographic Data
| ID | 635662 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Martijn J Burger |
| GIVEN NAMES | Martijn J |
| FAMILY NAME | Burger |
| SIGNATURE | BURGER M J |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Johannesburg |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 17 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 159 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 17 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2009 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 6 |
Cheerful Discontent: Understanding the African Well-being Paradox
While positive affect and life evaluation are positively correlated in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), their relationship is much weaker than in Western countries, suggesting a misalignment between how people feel and how they judge their lives, a pattern we refer to as the African well-being paradox. Using Gallup World Poll microdata (2013–2024) covering 39 SSA and 27 Western countries, we construct an individual-level measure of this misalignment: th…
Ruut Veenhoven (1942-2024): The Secret of a Happy and Productive Life
Subjective Well‐Being and Peaceful Uprisings
This study analyzes whether subjective well‐being measures can explain variation in peaceful uprisings, in addition to the objective measures typically used in analyses of this type of events. Using data on uprisings and subjective well‐being for 119 countries from 2007 to 2014 – a period during which nonviolent conflict became increasingly prevalent – we estimate panel data regressions, including instrumental variable models. The study finds evi…
Revealed competition between cluster organizations: An exploratory analysis of the European life sciences sector
Extant cluster policy research has largely ignored the particular role that cluster organizations play in reifying cluster policies in practice. Based on a survey of 163 cluster organizations in the European life sciences sector, this study explores the heterogeneity of cluster organizations in geographic space and examines whether and where revealed competition – defined as the combined overlap in service offerings, sub-sectoral focus and fundin…
Corporations and Global Trade
Global trade has increased tremendously over the past decades, but is in the hands of only a few large corporations. Accordingly, the contemporary international trade literature emphasizes firm heterogeneity. The current discussions in the literature focus on such issues as which firms engage in trade activities and the geographical scope of trading firms.
Stretching the concept of ‘borrowed size’
‘Borrowed size’ is an emerging policy concept in several European countries, presenting theoretical potential to explain contemporary urban dynamics unaddressed through conventional urban growth theories that emphasise the role of agglomeration economies. In its original conceptualisation by Alonso, the concept describes and explains the situation that especially smaller cities that are located in a larger ‘megapolitan complex’ do perform better …
Location Choices of Chinese Multinationals in Europe: The Role of Overseas Communities
Overseas Chinese communities are an important determinant in the location choice of greenfield investments made by mainland Chinese multinational enterprises across European regions. Conceptually embedded in a relational approach, this effect is shown through an empirical analysis of an exhaustive set of investment projects across NUTS-1 regions in twenty-six European countries for the period 2003\\xe2\\x80\\x932010. When controlling for endogene…
Borrowed Size, Agglomeration Shadows and Cultural Amenities in North-West Europe
It has been argued that the concept of “borrowed size” is essential to understanding urban patterns and dynamics in North-West Europe. This paper conceptualizes this idea and provides an empirical exploration of it. A place borrows size when it hosts more urban functions than its own size could normally support. A borrowed size for one place means that other places face an “agglomeration shadow” because they host fewer urban functions than they w…
The Functional and Sectoral Division of Labour between Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta: From Complementarities in Production to Competition in Producer Services
This study examines whether regional upgrading has affected the traditional division of labour between Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta, as exemplified in the 'front shop-back factory' model. The location choices and investment characteristics of foreign multinational enterprises are used to derive the current status of sectoral and functional specialisation across the region and to explore the alleged competition over foreign direct investmen…
Polycentricity and the Multiplexity of Urban Networks
Empirical studies on polycentric urban regions (PURs) tend to analyse their spatial organization by examining only one type of functional linkage between cities. However, it has generally been accepted that urban networks are multiplex phenomena and that spatial interactions between cities can take many different forms, for example, commuting, shopping trips, and inter-firm trade. The spatial organization of each of these functional linkages is n…
Multiple Perspectives on Functional Coherence: Heterogeneity and Multiplexity in the R andstad
Measuring functional coherence in metropolitan regions, in particular polycentric ones, requires taking the issues of multiplexity and individual level heterogeneity more explicitly into account, as the spatial organisation of functional linkages is not necessarily identical. Based on the analysis of one type of functional linkage a region can appear to be integrated, but loosely connected based on another. We demonstrate the occurrence of multip…
Revealed competition for greenfield investments between European regions
In the modern economy, cities are assumed to be in fierce competition over attracting foreign investments. Despite the rich theoretical discourse on these ‘wars', it remains unclear which territories are competing with each other over which types of investments. Combining insights from international economics, international business, and urban geography, we develop an indicator to measure revealed competition between territories for investments b…
The Geography of Global Corporate Networks: The Poor, the Rich, and the Happy Few Countries
The gradual integration of nations within our globalizing world is strongly related to the economic networks formed by multinational headquarters and their various subsidiaries located across the globe. Although the corporate reach of multinational corporations (MNCs) is clearly global, the geographical scope of their activities remains limited. Focusing on the network of ownership relations between the global Fortune 100 MNC headquarters and the…
Spatial Structure and Productivity in US Metropolitan Areas
Recent concepts such as 'megaregions' and 'polycentric urban regions' emphasize that external economies are not confined to a single urban core, but are shared among a collection of nearby and linked cities. However, empirical analyses of agglomeration and agglomeration externalities have so far neglected the multicentric spatial organization of agglomeration and the possibility of the 'sharing' or 'borrowing' of size between cities. The authors …
Featured Graphic: Worldwide Differences in Executive Pay, Culture, Well-Being, and Economic Growth
Social context and network formation: An experimental study
Networks and Economic Agglomerations: Introduction to the Special Issue
Spatial Structure and Productivity in US Metropolitan Areas
Recent concepts such as 'megaregions' and 'polycentric urban regions' emphasize that external economies are not confined to a single urban core, but are shared among a collection of nearby and linked cities. However, empirical analyses of agglomeration and agglomeration externalities have so far neglected the multicentric spatial organization of agglomeration and the possibility of the 'sharing' or 'borrowing' of size between cities. The authors …
Stretching the concept of ‘borrowed size’
‘Borrowed size’ is an emerging policy concept in several European countries, presenting theoretical potential to explain contemporary urban dynamics unaddressed through conventional urban growth theories that emphasise the role of agglomeration economies. In its original conceptualisation by Alonso, the concept describes and explains the situation that especially smaller cities that are located in a larger ‘megapolitan complex’ do perform better …
Multiple Perspectives on Functional Coherence: Heterogeneity and Multiplexity in the R andstad
Measuring functional coherence in metropolitan regions, in particular polycentric ones, requires taking the issues of multiplexity and individual level heterogeneity more explicitly into account, as the spatial organisation of functional linkages is not necessarily identical. Based on the analysis of one type of functional linkage a region can appear to be integrated, but loosely connected based on another. We demonstrate the occurrence of multip…
Revealed competition for greenfield investments between European regions
In the modern economy, cities are assumed to be in fierce competition over attracting foreign investments. Despite the rich theoretical discourse on these ‘wars', it remains unclear which territories are competing with each other over which types of investments. Combining insights from international economics, international business, and urban geography, we develop an indicator to measure revealed competition between territories for investments b…
Location Choices of Chinese Multinationals in Europe: The Role of Overseas Communities
Overseas Chinese communities are an important determinant in the location choice of greenfield investments made by mainland Chinese multinational enterprises across European regions. Conceptually embedded in a relational approach, this effect is shown through an empirical analysis of an exhaustive set of investment projects across NUTS-1 regions in twenty-six European countries for the period 2003\\xe2\\x80\\x932010. When controlling for endogene…
The Geography of Global Corporate Networks: The Poor, the Rich, and the Happy Few Countries
The gradual integration of nations within our globalizing world is strongly related to the economic networks formed by multinational headquarters and their various subsidiaries located across the globe. Although the corporate reach of multinational corporations (MNCs) is clearly global, the geographical scope of their activities remains limited. Focusing on the network of ownership relations between the global Fortune 100 MNC headquarters and the…
The Functional and Sectoral Division of Labour between Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta: From Complementarities in Production to Competition in Producer Services
This study examines whether regional upgrading has affected the traditional division of labour between Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta, as exemplified in the 'front shop-back factory' model. The location choices and investment characteristics of foreign multinational enterprises are used to derive the current status of sectoral and functional specialisation across the region and to explore the alleged competition over foreign direct investmen…
Networks and Economic Agglomerations: Introduction to the Special Issue
Social context and network formation: An experimental study
Networks and Economic Agglomerations: Introduction to the Special Issue
Spatial Structure and Productivity in US Metropolitan Areas
Recent concepts such as 'megaregions' and 'polycentric urban regions' emphasize that external economies are not confined to a single urban core, but are shared among a collection of nearby and linked cities. However, empirical analyses of agglomeration and agglomeration externalities have so far neglected the multicentric spatial organization of agglomeration and the possibility of the 'sharing' or 'borrowing' of size between cities. The authors …
Featured Graphic: Worldwide Differences in Executive Pay, Culture, Well-Being, and Economic Growth
The Geography of Global Corporate Networks: The Poor, the Rich, and the Happy Few Countries
The gradual integration of nations within our globalizing world is strongly related to the economic networks formed by multinational headquarters and their various subsidiaries located across the globe. Although the corporate reach of multinational corporations (MNCs) is clearly global, the geographical scope of their activities remains limited. Focusing on the network of ownership relations between the global Fortune 100 MNC headquarters and the…
Revealed competition for greenfield investments between European regions
In the modern economy, cities are assumed to be in fierce competition over attracting foreign investments. Despite the rich theoretical discourse on these ‘wars', it remains unclear which territories are competing with each other over which types of investments. Combining insights from international economics, international business, and urban geography, we develop an indicator to measure revealed competition between territories for investments b…
Polycentricity and the Multiplexity of Urban Networks
Empirical studies on polycentric urban regions (PURs) tend to analyse their spatial organization by examining only one type of functional linkage between cities. However, it has generally been accepted that urban networks are multiplex phenomena and that spatial interactions between cities can take many different forms, for example, commuting, shopping trips, and inter-firm trade. The spatial organization of each of these functional linkages is n…
Multiple Perspectives on Functional Coherence: Heterogeneity and Multiplexity in the R andstad
Measuring functional coherence in metropolitan regions, in particular polycentric ones, requires taking the issues of multiplexity and individual level heterogeneity more explicitly into account, as the spatial organisation of functional linkages is not necessarily identical. Based on the analysis of one type of functional linkage a region can appear to be integrated, but loosely connected based on another. We demonstrate the occurrence of multip…
Borrowed Size, Agglomeration Shadows and Cultural Amenities in North-West Europe
It has been argued that the concept of “borrowed size” is essential to understanding urban patterns and dynamics in North-West Europe. This paper conceptualizes this idea and provides an empirical exploration of it. A place borrows size when it hosts more urban functions than its own size could normally support. A borrowed size for one place means that other places face an “agglomeration shadow” because they host fewer urban functions than they w…
The Functional and Sectoral Division of Labour between Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta: From Complementarities in Production to Competition in Producer Services
This study examines whether regional upgrading has affected the traditional division of labour between Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta, as exemplified in the 'front shop-back factory' model. The location choices and investment characteristics of foreign multinational enterprises are used to derive the current status of sectoral and functional specialisation across the region and to explore the alleged competition over foreign direct investmen…
Corporations and Global Trade
Global trade has increased tremendously over the past decades, but is in the hands of only a few large corporations. Accordingly, the contemporary international trade literature emphasizes firm heterogeneity. The current discussions in the literature focus on such issues as which firms engage in trade activities and the geographical scope of trading firms.
Stretching the concept of ‘borrowed size’
‘Borrowed size’ is an emerging policy concept in several European countries, presenting theoretical potential to explain contemporary urban dynamics unaddressed through conventional urban growth theories that emphasise the role of agglomeration economies. In its original conceptualisation by Alonso, the concept describes and explains the situation that especially smaller cities that are located in a larger ‘megapolitan complex’ do perform better …
Location Choices of Chinese Multinationals in Europe: The Role of Overseas Communities
Overseas Chinese communities are an important determinant in the location choice of greenfield investments made by mainland Chinese multinational enterprises across European regions. Conceptually embedded in a relational approach, this effect is shown through an empirical analysis of an exhaustive set of investment projects across NUTS-1 regions in twenty-six European countries for the period 2003\\xe2\\x80\\x932010. When controlling for endogene…
Revealed competition between cluster organizations: An exploratory analysis of the European life sciences sector
Extant cluster policy research has largely ignored the particular role that cluster organizations play in reifying cluster policies in practice. Based on a survey of 163 cluster organizations in the European life sciences sector, this study explores the heterogeneity of cluster organizations in geographic space and examines whether and where revealed competition – defined as the combined overlap in service offerings, sub-sectoral focus and fundin…
Subjective Well‐Being and Peaceful Uprisings
This study analyzes whether subjective well‐being measures can explain variation in peaceful uprisings, in addition to the objective measures typically used in analyses of this type of events. Using data on uprisings and subjective well‐being for 119 countries from 2007 to 2014 – a period during which nonviolent conflict became increasingly prevalent – we estimate panel data regressions, including instrumental variable models. The study finds evi…
Ruut Veenhoven (1942-2024): The Secret of a Happy and Productive Life
Cheerful Discontent: Understanding the African Well-being Paradox
While positive affect and life evaluation are positively correlated in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), their relationship is much weaker than in Western countries, suggesting a misalignment between how people feel and how they judge their lives, a pattern we refer to as the African well-being paradox. Using Gallup World Poll microdata (2013–2024) covering 39 SSA and 27 Western countries, we construct an individual-level measure of this misalignment: th…
Economic geography (11 works) · Economics (11 works) · Geography (9 works) · Business (8 works) · Regional Economics and Spatial Analysis (7 works) · Sociology (6 works) · Computer Science (5 works) · Political science (5 works) · International Business and FDI (4 works) · Marketing (4 works)