Overall, these results indicate that liquidation adversely affects the local economy, and imposesnegative externalities on geographically proximate firms. As such, our results are inconsistent withthe creative destruction argument, which posits that forcing the liquidation of distressed firms willhelp revitalize the local area and induce entry by freeing up resources for healthy firms to use. Undercreative destruction, we would expect higher employment following liquidation, or at least higherentry into the area. Yet, neither is supported by the data.