Urban economic development and intergovernmental relations

The economies of many urban areas in advanced Western countries are experiencing serious pressures as a result of changes in international and national economies, in technology, and in the pattern of demand. The process by which urban areas respond to these changes frequently results in profound structural transformations of metropolitan economies, accompanied by serious economic and social dislocations. Increasingly, governments have found it necessary to respond to these changes. This paper is a summary of these developments and provides a context for the theme papers which follow.