This is an empirical paper that measures and interprets changes in intercity relations at the global scale in the period [2000][2001][2002][2003][2004][2005][2006][2007][2008]. We draw on the network model devised by the Globalization and World Cities (GaWC) research group to measure global connectivities for 307 cities across the world in 2000 and 2008. The measurements for both years are adjusted so that a coherent set of services/cities is used. A range of statistical techniques is used to explore these changes at the city level and the regional scale. The most notable changes are (i) the general rise of connectivity in the world city network, (ii) the loss of global connectivity of US and Sub-Saharan African cities (Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami in particular), and (iii) the gain in global connectivity of South Asian, Chinese and Eastern European cities (Shanghai, Beijing and Moscow in particular).

This paper comments on three aspects of POLYNET's implementation of the GaWC model to measure functional polycentricity at the local scale. These aspects are: (i) the use of APS office locations as a proxy for inter-city relations, (ii) the problematic calculation of the functional polycentricity index, and (iii) the rather narrow conceptualization of functional polycentricity. Alternative methodologies are introduced and implemented based on transaction link data to examine whether Central Belgium displays features of a functionally polycentric mega-city region. The results suggest that this is not the case. When it comes to service procurement by large companies in Belgium, Central Belgium displays more features of a hierarchical urban system with Brussels as dominant service city than of a functionally polycentric urban system. We do, however, find some indications for preliminary urban network formation.

The purpose of this paper is to explore some of the spatial dimensions of service provisioning in the globalizing economies of metropolitan regions. To this end, we draw on an analysis of the economic-and urban-geographical tenets of advanced producer service (APS) procurement based on a survey and semi-structured interviews with managers from automobile companies located in the port of Ghent (Belgium). Our analysis suggests that three dimensions are of prime interest: (i) a functional dimension focusing on APS firms' influence on managerial and/or operational capabilities; (ii) a governance dimension focusing on APS firms' ability to influence wider geographical patterns; and (iii) a concrete spatial dimension focusing on the geography of APS procurement. In this paper, we primarily deal with the spatial dimension. Our analysis suggests that the intra-firm allocation of decision-making power as regards service procurement is a key variable when accounting for the urban APS geographies. The relevance of this and other findings are discussed in the context of the study of globalizing (systems of) metropolitan regions. Zusammenfassung: Der Beitrag untersucht einige räumliche Dimensionen der Dienstleistungsversorgung globalisierter Wirtschaftszweige in Metropolregionen. Basierend auf einer Bestandsaufnahme und semi-strukturierten Interviews mit Managern der Automobilbranche im Hafen von Gent (Belgien) wurde zu diesem Zweck eine Analyse der wirtschafts-und stadtgeographischen Grundsätze bei der Versorgung mit höherwertigen unternehmensbezogenen Dienstleistungen (advanced producer services-APS) durchgeführt. Die Untersuchungen zeigen, dass drei Dimensionen von übergeordnetem Interesse sind: (a) eine funktionale Dimension mit Fokus auf dem Einfluss der APS-Firmen auf die betriebswirtschaftlichen und/ oder operativen Ressourcen, (b) eine steuernde Dimension mit dem Fokus auf der Fähigkeit von APS-Firmen, geographische Muster zu beeinflussen und (c) eine konkret räumliche Dimension mit Fokus auf der Geographie der APS Versorgung. In diesem Beitrag werden vorzugsweise die räumlichen Aspekte behandelt. Die Analysen deuten darauf hin, dass der innerbetrieblichen Organisation von Entscheidungsbefugnissen hinsichtlich der Dienstleistungsbeschaffung eine Schlüsselfunktion bei den urbanen Standorten von APS zukommt. Die Relevanz dieser und weiterer Erkenntnisse wird im Kontext der Studie globalisierter (Systeme von) Metropolregionen diskutiert.

This is an empirical paper mapping changes in the global geography of advanced producer service provision across major cities in the period 2000-08. The analyses are based on a systematic assessment of geographical shifts in the office networks of leading firms in finance, management consultancy, accountancy, advertising and law using measures of inter-city connectivity. It has been previously shown that there has been a general shift of these services from 'West to East'. In this paper variations in the degree and pattern of this global shift among the different sectors are described and interpreted. The results point to an inherent complexity in economic globalization that is sometimes overlooked in general descriptions of the meta-process.

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