Facets of Globalization

Book excerpt: Since 1985, national economies have become increasingly integrated into a global network. At the same time, both population and production in developing countries are becoming concentrated in urban regions. This, in turn, has generated demands for more local autonomy, shifting more decision making to sub-national levels. Globalization is expected to continue leading to greater openness and international mobility of capital and people. There are few reasons to believe that these trends will abate—if anything, they are likely to intensify the focus on cities and sharpen competition among these for international and local resources. This volume underscores the transformative role of globalization and urbanization and shows the interplay between the two forces.