Empirical Studies of World City Networks Abroad: Progress, Challenges and Directions for Future Research
Abstract：
Globalization, informatization and networking have not only promoted the rise of global cities and strengthened inter-city connections, but also reshaped the connotation, mode, and spatial scale of inter-city connections. The development potential and functions of contemporary cities largely depend on a city’s “positionality” in various world/global city networks. Therefore, investigating World/Global City Networks (WCN) has important theoretical value and policy implication. This paper provides a review of the empirical studies of WCN abroad: (1) we first categorize existing studies into four strands, including the advanced producer services-based studies led by GaWC, the multinational enterprise and world city system theory-based studies, infrastructure-based studies, and the other connection-based studies; (2) then we identify the problems and challenges in methodology, content, objectives, and theoretical basis of relevant studies; (3) finally, we discuss directions for future research, including understanding the formation and process of city networks, enriching qualitative and in-depth case study methods, revealing the impact of WCN on urban spatial development, conducting more studies regarding “ordinary” cities, and examining the nature and formation of intercity power relations.