The development of a global city - Components of national and global competition within cities. The New York case study.

With the upcoming of globalization processes and new technologies economic competition between different areas has intensified. High competition exist s both between focal peripheral areas and global city centers as well as wi thin the participating city systems of global actions. As a global city of highest or-der, New Pork plays an important role in the se processes. But New Pork did not have this position right away. It had to acquire its power through a continuous process of using its natural advant ages, mastering competition with other cities and coping with its internal problems - a struggle which lasted for the last two centuries and still con tinues. The importance of New York's harbor as a trade center, its pole pos ition in gaining new knowledge through modern telecommunications, an innova tive press, the location of industry, headquarters and celebrities, togethe r with an endless flow of new immigrants of all kinds of cultural and socia l backgrounds, have contributed to making New York City the city of knowled ge and information, money and commerce, advertising and media, arts and cul ture - in spite of some political and fiscal shortages and deficiencies in its infrastructure. As in the past, effects of self-reinforcement and an op enness to innovation are likely to ensure that New Yolk will keep this posi tion in the 21(st) century as well.