Global competition among cities fierce
Economic competition among cities is greater than ever according to the Globalization and World Cities – Study Group & Network. Remember, creativity drives economic performance. Here’s their list of the top economically-performing cities in the world, in order:
Alpha (First-Tier) Cities
New York, London, Tokyo, Paris, Chicago, Los Angeles, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Milan, Singapore
Beta (Second-Tier) Cities
San Francisco, Sydney, Toronto, Zurich, Brussels, Madrid, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Moscow, Seoul
Gamma (Third-Tier) Cities
Boston, Washington DC, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Miami, Minneapolis, Amsterdam, Caracas, Dusseldorf, Geneva, Jakarta, Johannesburg, Melbourne, Osaka, Prague, Santiago, Taipei, Bangkok, Beijing, Montreal, Rome, Stockholm, Warsaw, Barcelona, Berlin, Budapest, Buenos Aires, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Shanghai
The point is that each of these cities embraces creative, entrepreneurial neighborhoods and districts that definitely have characteristics worth studying, even for small towns. These places are often the catalysts for job creation, from the artist loft neighborhood of SOHO, New York to the active, pedestrian-friendly center of London’s Leicester Square (pictured).
What neighborhoods in these cities do you think are cool? Please comment below
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As far as I can tell, these rankings are solely about business issues like which city is the world center in accounting, finance, law and research. They don’t seem to take into account being a center for culture, fashion, art, theatre, education and so on. In terms of overall urban experience, I don’t see how Zurich, for example, can be rated so much higher than Rome (or Montreal), if you take into account things in that latter group.
Thanks Sharon – I’ve incorporated your comments into the article to clarify its purpose. Since creativity is statistically known to drive economic performance, it’s helpful to be aware of the world’s most economically successful cities where one tends to also find compelling creative, entrepreneurial neighborhoods and districts.
Switzerland is reportedly now the #2 destination for U.S. startups to expand (India #1), Google being one of the latest – the country has long been regarded for its quality of life and is #5 on Richard Florida’s Global Creativity Index.
I’ve also interviewed entrepreneurs in Rome, and they could not identify the equivalent of a Greenwich Village or Cambridge, though Trastevere comes close. Italy is one of the few countries that’s actually losing population – its younger crowd. They need to better integrate their universities into their vast cultural fabric, like they do in Bologna, but not effectively elsewhere as the Italians themselves told me.
Yes, thanks, the rankings make much more sense if it’s solely about economic climate.