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Intercity Relations and Globalisation: The Evolution of the Global Urban Hierarchy, 1981—2007

Author

Listed:
  • Arthur S. Alderson

    (Department of Sociology, Indiana University, Ballantine Hall 744, 1020 East Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana, IN 47405, USA, aralders@indiana.edu)

  • Jason Beckfield

    (Department of Sociology, Harvard University, William James Hall, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA 01238, USA, jbeckfie@wjh.harvard.edu)

  • Jessica Sprague-Jones

    (Department of Sociology, Indiana University, Ballantine Hall 744, 1020 East Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana, IN 47405, USA, jespragu@indiana.edu)

Abstract

How is the world city system changing in the context of globalisation? This question is addressed using data on the headquarter and branch locations of the world’s 500 largest multinationals. The paper employs techniques developed for the analysis of networks to evaluate the more than 6300 cities that are linked together by such firms in terms of their point centrality and, using blockmodelling techniques, in terms of the positions they occupy and roles that they play in the system. The analysis indicates that the world city system is in the midst of substantial restructuring and that it is changing in such a way as to concentrate power in a small number of cities. However, in contrast to some accounts, support is not found for the idea that globalisation is generating a ‘new geography of inequality’ at the level of intercity relations.

Suggested Citation

  • Arthur S. Alderson & Jason Beckfield & Jessica Sprague-Jones, 2010. "Intercity Relations and Globalisation: The Evolution of the Global Urban Hierarchy, 1981—2007," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 47(9), pages 1899-1923, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:47:y:2010:i:9:p:1899-1923
    DOI: 10.1177/0042098010372679
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. John Friedmann, 1986. "The World City Hypothesis," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 17(1), pages 69-83, January.
    2. Peter Taylor & Rolee Aranya, 2008. "A Global 'Urban Roller Coaster'? Connectivity Changes in the World City Network, 2000-2004," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(1), pages 1-16.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ben Derudder & Anneleen De Vos & Frank Witlox, 2011. "Global City/World City," Chapters, in: Ben Derudder & Michael Hoyler & Peter J. Taylor & Frank Witlox (ed.), International Handbook of Globalization and World Cities, chapter 8, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    2. Owais A. Hussain & Faraz Zaidi & Céline Rozenblat, 2019. "Analyzing Diversity, Strength and Centrality of Cities Using Networks of Multinational Firms," Networks and Spatial Economics, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 791-817, September.
    3. Matsumoto, Hidenobu & Domae, Koji, 2018. "The effects of new international airports and air-freight integrator's hubs on the mobility of cities in urban hierarchies: A case study in East and Southeast Asia," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 160-166.
    4. Kang Wu & Jingxian Tang & Ying Long, 2019. "Delineating the Regional Economic Geography of China by the Approach of Community Detection," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-18, October.
    5. Vijay Pereira & Yama Temouri & Chris Jones & Ashish Malik, 2019. "Identity of Asian Multinational Corporations: influence of tax havens," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 18(5), pages 325-336, November.
    6. Kirsten Martinus & Thomas Sigler & Iacopo Iacopini & Ben Derudder, 2019. "The role of tax havens and offshore financial centers in Asia-Pacific networks: evidence from firm-subsidiary connections," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 18(5), pages 389-411, November.
    7. Zhiyuan Yuan & Xinqi Zheng & Lulu Zhang & Guoliang Zhao, 2017. "Urban Competitiveness Measurement of Chinese Cities Based on a Structural Equation Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-18, April.
    8. Matsumoto, Hidenobu & Domae, Koji & O'Connor, Kevin, 2016. "Business connectivity, air transport and the urban hierarchy: A case study in East Asia," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 132-139.
    9. Dan He & Zhijing Sun & Peng Gao, 2019. "Development of Economic Integration in the Central Yangtze River Megaregion from the Perspective of Urban Network Evolution," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-18, September.
    10. Ben Derudder & Christof Parnreiter, 2014. "Introduction: The Interlocking Network Model for Studying Urban Networks: Outline, Potential, Critiques, and Ways Forward," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 105(4), pages 373-386, September.
    11. Marion Maisonobe & Michel Grossetti & Béatrice Milard & Laurent Jégou & Denis Eckert, 2017. "The global geography of scientific visibility: a deconcentration process (1999–2011)," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 113(1), pages 479-493, October.
    12. Chubarov Ilya, 2015. "Spatial hierarchy and emerging typologies inside world city network," Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series, Sciendo, vol. 30(30), pages 23-30, December.
    13. Xingjian Liu & Ben Derudder & Frank Witlox & Michael Hoyler, 2014. "Cities As Networks within Networks of Cities: The Evolution of the City/Firm-Duality in the World City Network, 2000–2010," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 105(4), pages 465-482, September.
    14. Matsumoto, Hidenobu & Domae, Koji, 2019. "Assessment of competitive hub status of cities in Europe and Asia from an international air traffic perspective," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 88-95.

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