THE GLOBAL

CITY
Attributes and How Cities Serve as
Engines of Globalization
 What is Global City?

• A global city or world city are a concept which postulates

that globalisation can be broken down in terms of
strategic geographic locales that see global processes being
created, facilitated and enacted.

• The most complex of these entities is the "global city",

whereby the linkages binding a city have a direct and
tangible effect on global affairs through more than just
socio-economic means, with influence in terms of culture,
or politics.
• The terminology of "global city", as
opposed to megacity, is thought to have
been first coined by Saskia Sassen in
reference to London, New York and
Tokyo in her 1991 work The Global City.
 Attributes of the Global City

• International, first-name familiarity; whereby a city is

recognised without the need for a political subdivision.
For example. although there are numerous cities and other
political entities with the name Paris or variations on it,
one would say "Paris", not "Paris, France".
• Active influence and participation in international events
and world affairs; for example, New York City is home to
the United Nations headquarters complex and
consequently contains a vast majority of the permanent
missions to the UN.
• A fairly large population (the centre of a metropolitan
area with a population of at least one million, typically
several million).
• A major international airport (for example, London
Heathrow Airport) that serves as an established hub for
several international airlines.
• An advanced transportation system that includes several
freeways and/or a large mass transit network offering
multiple modes of transportation ( rapid transit, light rail,
regional rail, ferry, or bus).
• In the West, several international cultures and communities
(such as a Chinatown, a Little Italy, or other immigrant
communities). In other parts of the world, cities which
attract large foreign businesses and related expatriate
communities; for example, Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong,
Tokyo, and Moscow.
• International financial institutions, law firms, corporate
headquarters (especially conglomerates), and stock exchanges
(for example the London Stock Exchange, the New York
Stock Exchange or the Tokyo Stock Exchange) that have
influence over the world economy.
• An advanced communications infrastructure on which modern
trans-national corporations rely, such as fiberoptics, Wi-Fi
networks, cellular phone services, and other high-speed lines of
communications.
• World-renowned cultural institutions, such as museums and
universities.
• A lively cultural scene, including film festivals (for example the
Toronto International Film Festival), premieres, a thriving music
or theatre scene (for example, West End theatre and Broadway);
an orchestra, an opera company, art galleries, and street
performers.
• Several powerful and influential media outlets with an
international reach, such as the BBC, Associated
Press, Reuters, The New York Times, The Times, or
Agence France-Presse.
• A strong sporting community, including major sports
facilities, home teams in major league sports, and the
ability and historical experience to host international
sporting events such as the Olympic Games, Football
World Cup, or Grand Slam tennis events.
Cities as Engines of Globalization
• The most complex of these entities is the "global city",
whereby the linkages binding a city have a direct and tangible
effect on global affairs through more than just socio-economic
means, with influence in terms of culture, or politics.
• For this reason sustained economic growth is always
accompanied by urbanization. Globalization and
localization have not diminished the importance… or
the pace… of the urbanization process.
Globalization promotes economic growth, which is
the driving force behind urbanization.
• But communication and information technologies
now allow firms to market their goods in distant
countries and to incorporate into their production
chain firms located halfway around the world.
Cities as Engine of
Globalization
• ENGINE- machine with moving parts that
converts power into motion.
• MACHINE- applying mechanical power and
having several parts, each with a definite
function and together performing a particular
task
• As countries moved through development
process, agriculture declines as a share of
gross domestic product and manufacturing
and services begin to dominate the economy.
• Goods and services are often produced most
efficiently in densely populated areas that
provide access to a pool of skilled labor, a
network of complementary firms that act as
suppliers, and a critical mass of costumers.
• For this reason sustained economic growth is always
accompanied by urbanization. Globalization and
localization have not diminished the importance or
the pace of the urbanization process. Globalization
promotes economic growth, which is driving force
behind urbanization.
• But communication and urbanization technologies
now allow firms to market their goods in distant
countries and to incorporate into their production
chain firms loacated halfway around the world
• Firms competing in the global
economy( and their suppliers) still
benefit considerably from access to a
sizable pool of labor, materials,
services, and costumers, globalization is
likely to contribute to further
urbanization.
• This is particularly true in developing
countries, where access to the
opportunities offered by globalization is
much greater in cities.
• The growth of urban populations in
both large capital cities and smaller
municipalities feeds demand for
increased localization of political power
• When urban governments have the
power and ability to enact a
development agenda, they can help the
citizens of their cities hook up with the
global economy.
• These cities then become reliable links in the
global production chain and attractive
destinations for foreign investment.
Urbanization is integral to development, but
it also presents difficult challenges
• The way cities manage development,
including the arrival of industries, goes
far in determining the rate of economic
growth. Urban governments can foster
economic development, or they can
slow it down.