Global city makers: Economic actors and practices in the world city network, Edited by MichaelHoyler, ChristofParnreiter and AllanWatson. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2018. 224 pp. Price: $130.00 for Hardback/$117.00 for Web. ISBN 978‐1‐78536‐894‐3

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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The Secrets and Future of Global Cities A Book Review and Reflections on “Global City Makers”, Economic Actors and Practices in the World City Network – by Michael Hoyler, Christof Parnreiter and Allan Watson, Elgar 2018

Journal of Social Science Studies ◽

10.5296/jsss.v6i1.14142 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 124

Author(s):

Mohamed Buheji ◽

Dunya Ahmed

Keyword(s):

Global Economy ◽

Global City ◽

World City ◽

Global Cities ◽

World City Network ◽

The World ◽

City Network ◽

Relational Economic Geography

The rapid increase of global cities in the 1990s would count now to reach more than 100 cities. Many of these global cities are trying to influence the global economy by differentiated or similar advanced instruments. The capacities and the details of these instruments have not been scientifically investigated in detail, despite the delicate role of the global cities makers and their capacity to influence the socio-economies as powerful economic actors. These intermediary economic actors are very influential in the making and un-making global cities. The “Global City Makers” economic actors and practices in the world city network by Hoyler et. al. (2018) is been reviewed from this perspective mainly. As this book help to identify the influence of certain economic planning on the socio-economic fate of millions of peoples today. Engaging critically and constructively with global urban studies from a relational economic geography perspective, the book outlines a renewed agenda for global cities research.

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