ABSTRACT
The world city network is an unusual form of network with three levels of structure: cities as the nodes, the world economy as the supranodal network level, and advanced producer service firms forming a critical subnodal level. Each world city is constituted as a particular mix of advanced producer service offices. The world city network is an interlocking network but, as indicated, it is not an exact analogue of other networks. The reflexive nature of global city functions thus demands ongoing social relations based on trust and reciprocity. The initial example of metropolitan network competition was set by New York in the 1980s. Then, a whole new competitive urban telecommunications infrastructure was developed in the city by the teleport company and port authority. The position of global cities is therefore being substantially reinforced by the shift from national telecommunications monopolies to a globalised, liberalised communications marketplace.
