Evolution of the World Stage of Global Science from a Scientific City Network Perspective

The changing geography of service employment and the relocation of back-office service tasks to developing economies present a challenge to contemporary world city network research and methodology, as cost-driven offshoring may wrongly suggest a city’s increased importance in global city rankings. In particular, financial service firms, but also management consultancies, law firms, and other advanced producer service firms have offshored tasks abroad. These firms’ offices are attributed a vital role in the world city network literature and form the basis for world city rankings using the interlocking network model. Based on empirical research on advanced producer service firms in Metro Manila, the Philippines, this paper argues that the existence of linkages and the appearance ‘on the map’ of dominant economic flows does not automatically lead to an increased command and control position of Manila. Instead, the attraction of lower-end services leads to Manila’s dependent articulation into global service production networks. The findings challenge the key assumptions about ‘command functions’ and ‘strategic role’ of global cities that underpin the global city rankings. The paper critiques current conceptualisations of command and control in global urban network theory in the light of changing intra-firm divisions of labour in advanced producer service firms, and stresses the importance of qualitative research.

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Measuring Centrality and Power Recursively in the World City Network: A Reply to Neal

Urban Studies ◽

10.1177/0042098012466599 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 50 (8) ◽

pp. 1641-1647 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

John P. Boyd ◽

Matthew C. Mahutga ◽

David A. Smith

Keyword(s):

World City ◽

World City Network ◽

The World ◽

City Network

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Changing Connectivities of Chinese Cities in the World City Network, 2010–2016

Chinese Geographical Science ◽

10.1007/s11769-018-0938-6 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 28 (2) ◽

pp. 183-201 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Ben Derudder ◽

Zhan Cao ◽

Xingjian Liu ◽

Wei Shen ◽

Liang Dai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

World City ◽

Chinese Cities ◽

World City Network ◽

The World ◽

City Network

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World Cities of Scientific Knowledge: Systems, Networks and Potential Dynamics. An Analysis Based on Bibliometric Indicators

Urban Studies ◽

10.1177/0042098010372683 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 47 (9) ◽

pp. 1879-1897 ◽

Cited By ~ 62

Author(s):

Christian Wichmann Matthiessen ◽

Annette Winkel Schwarz ◽

Søren Find

Keyword(s):

Western Europe ◽

Research Output ◽

World City ◽

Knowledge Network ◽

World Cities ◽

World City Network ◽

The World ◽

City Network ◽

Upper Level ◽

Number Of Citations

This paper is based on identification of the pattern of the upper level of the world city network of knowledge as published in a series of earlier papers. It is our aim to update the findings and relate to the general world city discussion. The structure of the world cities of knowledge network has changed over the past decade in favour of south-east Asian and south European cities and in disfavour of the traditional centres of North America and north-western Europe. The analysis is based on bibliometric data on the world’s 100 largest cities measured in terms of research output. The level of co-authorship between researchers in different cities is an indicator of links and respect, and the number of citations of papers produced by researchers located in each city is an indicator of respect. Finally, one research discipline is selected for an experiment in forecasting future hot spots of research.

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