The study of the spatial arrangement of industry; ‘the study of production and production systems across all sectors’ (Harriman in G. Gaile 2002). ‘We are currently in another time of paradigm conflict, with those who focus on the sociology and consumption of production and favour different styles of “theorizing” even while there is a revival of interest in analytical, regional science type research’ (Stafford (2003) Industr. Geogr.). ‘Industrial geography has always been a bellwether sub-discipline reflecting methodological changes within economic geography’ (T. Barnes and M. S. Gertler 1999). The ‘central question of industrial geography as to why industrial activities grow/decline in particular places’ (Watts cited in Stafford, op. cit.). ‘Social networks…play an important role in determining who can successfully start a new venture in an industry, and where they can start it. Potential entrepreneurs need access to a variety of resources—including knowledge of the key technologies in the industry—to begin operations and to compete successfully; [and] social networks facilitate access to these resources’ (Sorenson in D. Fornahl et al. 2003). McCann and Sheppard (2003) Reg. Studs 37, 6–7 argue for the redevelopment of analytical industrial location theory.