Attending to the world

Competition, cooperation and connectivity in the World City network

Bibliographic Data

ID4263196
AuthorsJonathan V Beaverstock (0000-0003-1228-9465, Loughborough University, corresponding author), Marcus A Doel (0000-0002-8892-2709), P Hubbard (0000-0001-7504-5471, Loughborough University), P J Hubbard, Paul J Taylor (0000-0003-4346-6364, Loughborough University)
Year2002
Volume2
Issue2
Pages111-132
Publication date2002-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueGlobal Networks (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1470-2266 • E-ISSN: 1471-0374
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/1471-0374.00031
OpenAlexW2017468625
LanguageEN
Citations received46

World Cities are acknowledged to be a key aspect of globalization. In many accounts, these cities are depicted as rivals in a global marketplace, their economic success a result of their competitive advantage. However, what has not been fully acknowledged is their connectivity and, in addition, the time and effort taken by specific 'attendants' to produce the World City network. Accordingly, this article aims to advance understanding of World City network formation by developing a conceptual model that focuses on four major attendants (firms, sectors, cities and states) that enact network formation through two nexuses -'city-firm' and 'statesector'- and two communities -'cities within states' and 'firms within sectors'. The utility of this model is demonstrated by drawing upon interviews conducted in offices of 39 advanced producer service firms in banking and law. These interviews were undertaken in three World Cities (London, New York and Singapore) in the wake of the East Asian financial crisis, an event that challenged the consistency of the World City network. Showing how attendants sought to maintain and transform the World City network at this key moment of crisis, we conclude that studies of city competitiveness ultimately need to focus on the cooperative work that sustains global networks

Business · Economic geography · Economic growth · Economics · Economy · Financial crisis · Geography · Global city · Global network · Globalization · Market economy · Telecommunications · Cross-Border Cooperation and Integration · Engineering · Global Urban Networks and Dynamics · Maritime Ports and Logistics · Marketing

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