ABSTRACT
Throughout history cities have been crucibles of creativity. In antiquity large cities on inland trade routes experienced golden ages; in modern times, port cities and cities close to transport, finance and communication systems have lured investment and talent: some, like London, New York and Tokyo became finance and entrepreneurial hubs as well as cultural centres (Sassen 1991). These cities sit atop a hierarchy of approximately 30 ‘world cities’. Financial cities with lesser international cache (Miami, Frankfurt, Singapore) occupy a second tier. In addition, the world cities ‘list’ includes those that dominate large national economies (Sao Paulo, Paris, Sydney, Seoul), and subnational or regional centres (OsakaKobe, HongKong, Vancouver, theRhine-Rhur conurbation, Chicago) (Friedmann 2002: 7).
