Introduction Global cities are “crowded with those who are creating the future, noisy with the clash of deals and ideas, frantic in the race to stay ahead,” in the engaging words of the authors of The Urban Elite, the A.T. Kearney (ATK) According to international studies, “Globalization is the increasing integration of economics, societies and cultures around the world. …. It is a process driven by technology that leaps frontiers. It is symbolized by movement – of money, goods, people, ideas, and jobs.” Within global cities, shopping centres are becoming important agents, having a profound impact on people and on the community that people live in. General Characteristics of Hierarchies of Cities Various studies have been undertaken to show ranks of various cities and general characteristics emerge when people talk about global cities. The main ones according to The Urban Elite are the following: • Home to major stock exchanges and financial hubs • Influential in international political affairs • Home to world-renowned cultural institutions • Service a major media hub • Large mass transit networks • Home to a large international airport • Having a prominent skyline The above relates to globalisation and many of them seek to define cities only in term of global prominence rather than functionally as related to the global economy Therefore according to the 2012 Global Cities Index, global cities are made up of five dimensions: business activity (30%), human capital (30%), information exchange (15%), cultural experience (15%), and political engagement (10%): • Business Activity (headquarters, services firms, capital markets value, number of international conferences, value of goods through ports and airports) • Human Capital (size o... ... middle of paper ... ...earch studies, there is a strong correlation between global cities and their interrelationships. One must also consider the contributions they make to the global economy. It also correlates the new socio-economic-political ecosystem and the role these cities play in governing and influencing the future state. We have seen an evolution of shopping centres from being a closed unit to becoming a more integral part in growing local economies. The shopping malls have intercepted the traditional marketplace culture and are instrumental in shifting the consumer behaviour in urban areas. Increasing globalization in developing countries has affected the socio-economic and cultural paradigms in urban areas and consumer behaviour. This is evident in South Africa where we see a vast difference within second economy areas showing a hierarchical structure among shopping centres.
Phillips, E. Barbara. City Lights: Urban-Suburban Life in the Global Society. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.
The urban world is about things that are going on within the cities, and the differ...
The numerous regions included in this film extend from all corners of the world to show just how relevant and important urbanization is. Gary and his team visited countries such as South Africa, China and Brazil while speaking with law makers, political officials and architects in an attempts to understand the logic
Shopping malls didn't just happen. They are not the result of wise planners deciding that suburban people, having no social life and stimulation, needed a place to go (Bombeck, 1985). The mall was originally conceived of as a community center where people would converge for shopping, cultural activity, and social interaction (Gruen & Smith, 2005). It is safe to say that the mall has achieved and surpassed those early expectations. Unfortunately, in today's consumer culture, the mall is the center of the universe and and this has shaped consumers in a negative way.
In recent times it has been well documented and reported that the way in which retailing is changing. Alongside the former methods of ‘’bricks and mortar’’ stores, modern day retailers must now ensure that their goods and services are available by means of various streams, including websites and mobile apps. (Benady, D. 2014) But it is not only retailing which have changed; the consumer is becoming savvier and increasingly sophisticated. Consumers are expecting more from retailers and now expect a ‘’seamless shopping experience’’ however way in which they may interact with the retailer. (Benady, D. 2014)
... world cities due to their power and influence in regards to matters both political and cultural. In modern times, New York City provides another example of such a world city. In addition to being the most populous city of the world-power that is the United States, New York City shows itself to have an important impact on fashion, entertainment, culture, and finance across the world. Wall Street has been a financial center for decades, and the city itself has given birth to many cultural movements, such as the Harlem Renaissance. The Empire State Building could be likened to the Parthenon or the Coliseum, being a representation of the city’s architecture and one of the tallest buildings in the world. Overall, all three cities have proved themselves to have enormous worldwide influence, which ultimately designates them as three important world cities in history.
Who hasn’t seen the critical examples of overpopulation that are always depicted with large cities, tall buildings and many people? It is a common thought that cities are the cause of air pollution and are in no way thought of to be sustainable or as having a smaller footprint than those residing in rural zones. Yet, this chapter shows that the criticisms have no bearing when it comes to cities and rather, cities are better in terms of stronger economies, those who live in cities have smaller families, and the more the city is developed the lower the level of poverty (unlike rural areas which shows to have a higher level of poverty). The misconception that cities are actually overusing resources and contributing to environmental degradation is not the case. The chapter cites that this is not so, it is rather “industries and commercial and industrial enterprises (or corporations) and middle and upper income groups with high consumption lifestyles.” (56) These wealthier people who want to live more luxuriously, often live on acres of land with multiple cars, thus do not often reside in the city. The chapter continues to list the positive roles of cities, for example, “lower costs per household and per enterprise for the provision of piped, treated water supplies…collection and disposal of human wastes.” (56) Another positive is the efficient use from recycled waste, also a smaller demand for land relative to the population in cities. The fourth advantage is listed as more efficient heating techniques, and fifthly, a greater use of public transportation. The rich culture found in cities is also cited in the chapter. It concludes with the need for “good governance,” whereby the goals are met and cost is not past onto others, without it the cities are left to be sources of pollution, sickness, and waste
The wise words of Tim Marshall, that “All leaders are constrained by geography,” reinforces the notion that world events are indeed affected in context to its physiological traits. With the rise of fierce competition for geographic resources, the developed world differs vastly from those that are still developing. Constricted by the institutional structures set by global developed countries due to their fierce industrial competition, lesser developed worlds recede further and further from the economic standards of the world. Influenced by economic outbursts, each respective developed and undeveloped countries form their own urban models due to the restraints of their geography. In current times, there’s been a harsh but true division of resources
Throughout her article, Jennifer Robinson presents a strong argument against the concept of "global or world cities". To begin, she explains that urban scholars have studied the idea of the global city by dichotomizing the nation where a city is located by labelling it ‘third world’ or ‘West’. This dichotomy is problematic for many reasons, including the fact that it favors western principles and promotes the expansion of their hegemonic cultural presence. As Robinson explains, “‘Urban theory’ is based primarily on the experiences and histories of western cities — much as Chakrabarty (2000) suggests that the theories and categories of historical scholarship have been rooted both in western experiences and their intellectual traditions” (Robinson
People are drawn to cities due to utility; it is easier to find things that an individual may not necessarily have simply due to the concentration of people in a city. This means that people are forced into acting in commune with others, to engage in “urbanitas” or good behavior while in contact with other humans who use the city for utility too. The built environment of the city necessitates this change in social behavior.
Each city has its own culture and their society where people live differently based on environment they are in. Some cities do not consider themselves as global superpower while others do. Also, people are the primary function of society to cities.
Consumer culture plays a key role in the economy. Today, the ways in which urban spaces are arranged facilitate the consumption of goods. One only needs to look to modern cities such as New York, London or Tokyo in order to recognise the countless forms of advertisement intended to lure the mass population into spending money on various merchandises, from novelty items to luxury products. The use of built structures to facilitate the display of retail products for the consumption of the masses is nothing new. After its renovation, Paris became a model innovative city planning and construction for a lot of modern cities that exist today. The wide boulevards and open spaces engaged the mass population and encouraged consumerism.
Sassen, S. "The Global City: introducing a Concept." Brown Journal of World Affairs. 11.2 (2005): 40. Print.
As previously implied, cities are currently the antithesis of even the barest sense of sustainability. To succinctly define the term “sustainability” would be to say that it represents living within one’s needs. When it comes to the city, with almost zero local sources of food or goods, one’s means is pushed and twisted to include resources originating far beyond the boundaries of the urban landscape. Those within cities paradoxically have both minimal and vast options when it comes to continuing their existence, yet this blurred reality is entirely reliant on the resources that a city can pull in with its constantly active economy.
Global cities are cities with substantial economic power, controlling the concentration and accumulation of capital and global investments. Despite this, global cities are the sites of increasing disparities in occupation and income. This is as a result of large in-migration and growing income inequality together with capacity and resource constraints, and inadequate Government policies.