Measuring Glocalization in Europe

Abstract

This paper explores the quantitative measurement of glocalization within the European Union, addressing the gap between theoretical constructs of the “Global-Local Nexus” and empirical economic reality. Adopting the metaphor of refraction, the study conceptualizes glocalization as the ability of local environments to launch, resist, and modify global impulses. The methodology utilizes a dual-layered indicator system: FDI stocks and the economic weight of foreign-controlled enterprises in terms of value added, investment, and employment. Analysis reveals a non-monolithic investment space characterized by distinct sub-regional clusters, including the Pan-European Gravity Hub (Benelux and the UK), the Traditional Continental Core, and a highly dependent Central-Eastern European cluster. The findings indicate that while FCEs remain numerically marginal, they exert overwhelming economic weight, particularly in “glocal hubs” like Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania, where they generate up to half of all value added and tangible investments.