World Cities: A First Multivariate Analysis of their Service Complexes

Abstract

In consideration of the local-global nexus it is commonplace to emphasise multiple 'locals'; in this paper, we introduce multiple 'globals' in the sense of differences in firm's globalisation strategies. Building upon the collection of a unique set of data showing advanced producer service office networks for 46 major firms in 55 world cities, the major dimensions of variability in this geography are explored using principal components analyses. An R-mode analysis shows similarities in firm's location patterns and 14 distinctive cross-city profiles of firms are identified. A key finding is that different producer services tend to have different cross-city profiles. A Q-mode analysis groups world cities in terms of similar corporate locations and 9 corporate service mixes are identified. A key finding is that most cities group into regional or interregional clusters; London and New York (but not Tokyo) are exceptional in forming their own distinctive 'global city' dimension. The overall conclusion is that world city formation, a core process of globalisation, has created a rich and informative geographical complexity. Since there is order to the complexity, the paper finishes with a multifarious research agenda derived from this first comprehensive, comparative analysis of world cities.