This study aims to empirically identify the determinants influencing the actual occupancy rate of knowledge industry centers after completion, focusing on facilities located in the Seoul–Gyeonggi metropolitan area. In recent years, the knowledge ind...
This study aims to empirically identify the determinants influencing the actual occupancy rate of knowledge industry centers after completion, focusing on facilities located in the Seoul–Gyeonggi metropolitan area. In recent years, the knowledge industry center market has undergone rapid structural changes due to increased supply, rising interest rates, and tighter financial regulations. As a result, post-completion vacancies have expanded, accompanied by a noticeable decline in actual occupancy rates. Despite these developments, most existing studies have concentrated on initial market performance, such as sales rates or firms’ stated intentions to occupy, leaving empirical research on post-completion operational performance, measured by actual occupancy, relatively limited.
To address this gap, the present study adopts actual occupancy rate as the key dependent variable and examines the operational performance of knowledge industry centers, thereby providing objective evidence to support future industrial space policies, development strategies, and operational decision-making.
The empirical analysis is based on a dataset comprising 158 knowledge industry centers operating in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, encompassing a total of 79,240 individual units. Data were systematically collected from multiple sources, including developers and sales agencies, trust companies, real-estate platforms, GIS-based locational information, and the Bank of Korea’s interest-rate statistics. Eight independent variables were classified into four categories: time and operational factors (elapsed time since completion), locational factors (distance to the nearest subway station, urban location, and designation as an overconcentration control zone), physical and architectural factors (parking ratio and number of freight elevators), and economic and financial factors (CBI-adjusted sales price and benchmark interest rate at completion).
The analytical procedure began with descriptive statistics, followed by correlation and covariance analyses. Multicollinearity was examined using variance inflation factors (VIF), tolerance values, and condition indices. Model validity was assessed through ANOVA, and the analysis was completed with regression coefficient interpretation and residual diagnostics.
The empirical results indicate that occupancy rates increase over time after completion, suggesting that initial vacancies gradually decline as market absorption progresses. Regarding locational characteristics, subway accessibility did not exhibit statistical significance, whereas urban location showed a negative effect on occupancy rates, implying that higher costs and intensified competition in central areas may hinder actual firm occupancy. Furthermore, centers located within overconcentration control zones demonstrated relatively lower occupancy rates, reflecting the influence of regulatory constraints.
Among physical characteristics, the number of freight elevators had a positive and statistically significant effect on occupancy rates, highlighting the importance of logistics efficiency and operational convenience in firms’ location decisions. In contrast, the parking ratio did not show a significant impact. In terms of economic and financial factors, higher adjusted sales prices were associated with lower occupancy rates, indicating that increased acquisition costs pose a substantial entry barrier for firms. Additionally, higher interest rates at the time of completion negatively affected occupancy rates, confirming the direct influence of financing costs on firms’ occupancy decisions.
These findings contribute to the existing literature by moving beyond an exclusive focus on early sales performance and empirically examining the post-completion operational outcomes of knowledge industry centers through actual occupancy rates. By demonstrating that locational, physical, and financial factors interactively shape occupancy performance, this study provides practical insights for development planning, supply management, regulatory reform, and firm-support policies. However, the analysis is limited to the Seoul–Gyeonggi region, which constrains the generalizability of the results. Future research should expand the spatial scope to non-metropolitan regions, incorporate industry-specific classifications, and adopt panel data methodologies to achieve a more refined understanding of occupancy dynamics in knowledge industry centers.