Question

What is meant by a ‘global city’? How have ‘changes in production’ and the ‘global economy’ contributed to the emergence of global cities? What spatial structure and features characterize global cities? What is their typical social structure? How do they differ from other cities linked into the global economy?

Answer 1

A global city is a primary node in the global economic network. Global cities are prime locations for international commerece and businesses due to their competitive advantage over other cities.

The rise of Trans National Corporations(TNCs) in global production pattern and the subsequent rise in flexible production that is not centred around particular places of production.

The spatial structures include the location of different activities and their relationship as well. The features unique to a global city are highly specialized firm headquarters with wide range of financial, economic and manegerial services at international level. These headquarters serve as global centres for operations all across countries.

Their social structure comprises of multiethnic and multicultural population with great diversity in religion, language and ideologies .People across the globe move in and out of the global cities and also migrate to these cities. The global cities  differ from other cities linked to the global economy in the sense that the global cities are metropolitan cities with all kinds of international services and character. The cities linked to global economy need not have all international character and services.