Cities are ecosystems for businesses and innovation. The strength of an urban center’s network of businesses, the talent of its citizenry, the stability of its political institutions, and the creativity of its cultural organizations all contribute to an environment in which existing businesses flourish and new businesses are born. A.T. Kearney’s Global Cities has been collecting data on these factors and others for the world’s most important cities since 2008. This 2018 Global Cities report, the eighth edition, testifies to the continued strength of many of the world’s largest cities in these domains.

1. What Is the Success
Formula for a City to
Become More Global?
A Look at China May
Provide the Answers.
#GlobalCities
2018 Global Cities Report Read full report

2. A.T. Kearney’s 2018
Global Cities report
looks at the world’s
most influential cities
as well as those that
are likely to become
more important on
the global stage.
2018 Global Cities Report Read full report

3. Since A.T. Kearney
began tracking the
performance of the
world’s top cities a
decade ago, China’s
urban centers have
rapidly become
more competitive
on a global scale.
2018 Global Cities Report Read full report

4. The number of
Chinese cities
included in the
Global Cities Index
has spiked from
7 in 2008 to
27 in 2018.
2018 Global Cities Report Read full report

5. The Chinese cities included
in the first report experienced
greater score growth than
all other regions except
Africa over the past decade
of the Global Cities Index.
In the Outlook, China’s
score growth outpaced
all other regions over
the past four years.
2018 Global Cities Report Read full report

6. What is China
doing right,
and what can
other cities
and regional
governments
learn?
Read full report2018 Global Cities Report

7. The short answer—
this evolution of
China’s cities reflects
intentional efforts
by national, regional,
and local entities to
improve the country’s
competitiveness.
2018 Global Cities Report Read full report

8. The initiatives have focused
on business, governmental,
and cultural activities,
providing improvements
that boost the quality
of life for residents,
increase the ease of doing
business, and attract more
investment and attention
from global companies.
2018 Global Cities Report Read full report

9. A comprehensive strategy for
urban development is paying
off for China. By focusing
on a multipronged approach
to city improvement, the
country is creating urban
hubs that will continue to
draw business, talent, and
culture from inside—and
outside—the country.
2018 Global Cities Report Read full report

10. So how can other
global cities or
countries emulate
these Chinese
municipalities?
2018 Global Cities Report Read full report

11. A.T. Kearney is a leading global management consulting firm with offices in 40 countries.
Since 1926, we have been trusted advisors to the world’s foremost organizations. A.T. Kearney
is a partner-owned firm, committed to helping clients achieve immediate impact and growing
advantage on their most mission-critical issues. For more information, visit www.atkearney.com.
Consult with our experts on how
economic development efforts
and a holistic approach can prime
your city to thrive.
2018 Global Cities Report
Read full report Talk to our experts
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