The "new economic geography" is one of the most significant developments to have hit the discipline of recent years. Landmark texts such as Spatial Economics by Fujita, Krugman Venables and Brakman, Garretsen Van Marrewijk's An Introduction to Geographical Economics have really helped to reshape the discipline.

Now two of the authors of the later book have come together to edit a book on the specific subject of location and competition. Increasing integration of the world economy, the 2004 enlargement of the European Union and other factors have combined to change the geography of economics.