Objective

1. To obtain insight into the spatial economic functioning of (urban) regions from an international perspective.
2. To obtain insight into the economic consequences of spatial behaviour by families, companies and local governments.
3. To obtain insight into the importance of local/regional factors for the functioning of companies.
4. To obtain insight into the impact of globalisation, informationalisation and European integration on competitive positions of cities or city regions.
5. To gather up information of present views on modern urban management.
6. To obtain insight in aspects of the real estate sector and urban economic growth sectors.

Content

Urban dynamics do increasingly influence the (international) competitive positions of cities. This not only affects the inhabitants of the city itself, but also the entire city region (the suburbs), and what's more, it will have consequences as far as into the national and European economy. In the emerging 'information society' and 'network economy' cities appear to be the nerve centres of global networks. Urban development is just as important for businesses. Companies have invested in capital goods, personnel - that mostly also live nearby -, etc.. Regional and local business relationships have developed throughout the time. It is apparant that companies will also profit from a favourable economic development in the region where they are located. Public authorities play an important role in this respect. Their role is evolving partners and so on, to stimulate reaching the common objective, decision makers have to rely more and more on integrated, strategic planning and on the power of regional organising capacity.

In this course a theoretical fundament is laid first concerning the changing processes in and roles of cities in general. Thereafter the lectures will turn towards the consequences of urban competitiveness, mostly based in recent research. It appears that strategic responses are needed to cope with urban competition. Modern urban management needs to be pro-active and entrepreneurial. It tries, in close co-operation with relevant urban partners (like the European and national authorities, and the regional business society) to establish the right conditions for creating an attractive and sustainable urban environment for its citizens and a profitable economic environment for its business society. Communication with partners in the region plays a vital part in this process. The lectures on modern urban management will focus on topics like city marketing, public-private partnerships, economic and social revitalisation, project investments, collaboration within city-networks, organising capacity, the real estate sector, urban economic growth clusters, etc.

Required Literature

					26-4-2002