Abstract
This paper adopts a global perspective to investigate external relations of German cities, both transnationally and on the national scale. At the centre of the analysis are the locational strategies of major advanced producer service firms that link the cities in which they operate through a multitude of flows. Using an interlocking network model and data on the organizational structure of leading business service firms, the paper measures and interprets the extent to which German cities were integrated in the world city network in 2008. The global positions and national network patterns of 14 major German cities are explored, as well as the sectoral strengths and geographical orientations of their external relations. The paper concludes with an assessment of the trajectory of German cities in the world city network between the turn of the twenty-first century and the onset of the current financial crisis. The analysis reveals a geography of advanced producer services that is polycentric in character but does not map directly onto the distribution of other metropolitan functions. In a longitudinal perspective, German cities experienced an absolute and relative decline in global network connectivity between 2000 and 2008, which raises questions about the changing strategic importance of German cities in the world city network.
Highlights
While there is a strong research tradition into the hierarchical spatial arrangement of settlements in Germany, following in the footsteps of Christaller’s (1933) seminal study, the same cannot be said for the important geographies of non-local inter-city relations
This paper reports on the findings for the 14 German cities with proportionate general network connectivities of at least 5% of London’s global network connectivity, the globally highest ranking city in 2008
This paper has employed a global perspective and a specific network model to investigate the integration of leading German cities in the world city network
Summary
While there is a strong research tradition into the hierarchical spatial arrangement of settlements in Germany, following in the footsteps of Christaller’s (1933) seminal study, the same cannot be said for the important geographies of non-local inter-city relations. If we take the old adage ‘no city is an island’ seriously, today’s role of cities as nodes in global networks requires more work on capturing the less tangible flows that are at the centre of inter-city relations in a globalised world These deficits have been widely recognised (e.g. Blotevogel/Schulze 2009), and a number of recent studies on the German urban system and of selected metropolitan regions have focused on questions of inter-city relations and cooperative linkages at regional, national and European scales, but only rarely beyond (e.g. Esser/Schamp 2001; Kujath/Dybe/Fichter et al 2002; Kujath 2005; Heinelt/Kujath/Zimmermann 2007; Krätke 2010). 2008, between the turn of the 21st century and the onset of the current financial crisis
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Raumforschung und Raumordnung | Spatial Research and Planning
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
