Global Cities - Research Paper Example

Global Cities Global Cities When cities turn global, it means that in one there can be found people from all over the world. These people are usually business magnates, experts and professionals from all fields of the economy. It is, therefore, crucial for a city to accommodate both the global and local identity. The local people should not feel left out and should not feel intimidated by competition from immigrants. Kotkin (2013) says that a global city can achieve this by serving both the local and international roles.

The city must be able to accommodate the locals by having space for the middle class and the working class. A global city will thrive if the local residents feel that the city is true to itself as well as the people because they are the ones that created the city in the first place.According to Taylor (2013), the two needs of local residents that should not be ignored are housing and availability of jobs. When a city becomes flocked with foreigners, the economy shoots up, and the basic amenities tend to be very expensive.

Housing becomes too expensive for the locals and the foreigners who can afford to pay rent settles in the city. This means that the locals will be forced to live in the poor neighborhoods. The scarcity of jobs is also a very crucial issue. Big firms often employ very skilled people, who most likely are foreigners. The locals will effectively be left without employment. This issue should also not be ignored to avoid conflict between locals and foreigners.There are consequences that may occur if a global city exiled the middle class and working class.

According to Grimes and Morris, (1997), one of them is the lack of labor. Teachers, firefighters and police are needed in a city. Such professionals also need an affordable place to settle. Secondly, there will be a lack of upward mobility, and the low-income earners will have a hard time climbing the social ladder. Another consequence is that there will be a wide gap between the poor and the rich, leading to social inequality.ReferencesGrimes D. M., Morris J. M. (1997). Caught in the Middle: Contradictions in the Lives of Sociologists from Working-class Backgrounds.

Greenwood Publishing Group.Kotkin, J. (2013). The Problem with Being Global. Forbes. Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sitesTaylor P. J. (2013). Global Cities: The Business of Global Cities. New York: Routledge.