Cities in a Globalizing World : Governance, Performance, and Sustainability

This book contributes to the empirical and theoretical analysis of the performance of cities in a globalizing world, bringing together a range of perspectives on the policy implications for urban management. It provides guidance for policymakers on ways of capitalizing on the global economy that will make the most of the cities resources and managerial infrastructure as well as guiding investment and policy for the future. The book provides examples of how conflicts can be managed between individual and collective interests, such as the extensive environmental and social consultation undertaken in the planning and implementation of the Jamuna Bridge in Bangladesh, which now joins cities that had never seen daily connection between people in markets. The authors present empirical evidence that suggests that good governance and globalization tend to improve city-level performance in both the access to services as well as the quality of delivery of services which allows cities to translate global opportunity into local value for their citizens. This research also raises difficult questions of causality: does more globalization cause better governance, or vice versa? The authors look particularly at African cities to examine similarities with and differences from cities elsewhere. Their research suggests that Africa faces the challenge of improving both the quality of the management of its cities and their governance, so that they can offer services that will attract foreign investment while continuing to serve the needs of their residents and their regional economies.