Factors Influencing Enterprise Development in the Inland Regions of Fujian Province in China

Abstract

This chapter aims to examine the characteristics of growing enterprises and their location factors in the inland regions of eastern coastal China by taking Fujian province as an example. The main research methods include a face-to-face interview with plant managers and town offices, and a questionnaire survey to workers. The main results are as follows: First, since the mid-1990s, the growth of enterprises which depend on agricultural and forestry products is remarkable in the inland regions of Fujian province. Second, analysis of a case study in the inland region of the province indicates that large-scale enterprises are now playing a leading role in the enterprise development and have successfully approached domestic and international markets with the help of partner enterprises in coastal urban areas or abroad. Third, such enterprises obtain their workforce from nearby rural areas and draw workers from relatively distant areas both inside and outside of the province. This is a key factor that supports the continuous development of enterprises in recent years. Finally, the space of the inland regions play different roles in different stages of enterprises development. Initial investment costs, income expansion and newly-added value are the three most striking factors affecting the development of enterprises in the inland regions of the province.