by MARK AREND

D

alian, China; Tallinn, Estonia; Porto Alegre, Brazil. If these far-flung cities are not on your location radar screen right now, they may soon be. They are among 24 "potential city winners" identified in a recently released research report, "Rising Urban Stars — Uncovering Future Winners" from Jones Lang LaSalle and LaSalle Investment Management. The analysis stems from completion of the second phase of the firms' World Winning Cities research initiative.
        I am sharing this here, because the research reveals some locations that site selectors and even many location consultants might not have thought to consider. Just as important are the forces helping these urban areas emerge from obscurity to contenders for foreign direct investment. Winning cities, according to the research, benefit from technology-rich research and education infrastructure, such as that found in Austin, Texas, and Raleigh-Durham, N.C.
        But emerging technology hubs — those cities with a well-educated labor pool, a reliable infrastructure and a business-friendly climate — also are potential winners. They include San Jose, Costa Rica; Bangalore, India; and Tallinn, among others identified in the report.
        Two urban environmental factors are behind the report's inclusion of other world cities. "Resort/urban hip" qualities, such as quality of life (see "Why Creative Communities Are Talent Magnets" in the "Canada 2003" section of the May 2003 issue) helped Las Vegas, Nev., and Dubai onto the world economic development stage. Today, the cities to watch are Barcelona, Spain; Cape Town, South Africa; and South East Queensland, Australia.
        Urban sustainability is a second environmental factor producing Winning Cities. According to the research, this refers to those cities where "public awareness of environment and social issues will result in increasing pressure for government regulation and will encourage changes in corporate behavior." Copenhagen, Denmark; Calgary, Alberta; and Porto Alegre, Brazil, are the cities represented in this category.
        "Rising Mega Cities" and "New Frontiers" are the two economically driven sets of criteria applied to the analysis. The former refers to those cities experiencing rapid urbanization — think Shanghai, Beijing and the Pearl River Delta in China; Mumbai and Delhi in India; and Santiago, Chile. New Frontiers are those second-tier cities, especially in China, that are benefiting from national investment in infrastructure and economic liberalization that will result in substantial economic development. China's "Go-West" policy already has drawn Chongqing and Xian into the Winning Cities fold, notes the research.

Julia Cox Oxford Intelligence

        The point of this exercise is not a geography essay, but rather to suggest that these criteria be applied to areas that are on your radar screen, or to cities about which you are curious. At the very least, consider it another tool in your location analysis toolbox. The full report is online at www.am.joneslanglasalle.com.
        On another note, I am pleased to introduce the newest member of Site Selection's Editorial Advisory Board. Julia Cox is Editor for Oxford Intelligence (www.oxint.com), a U.K.-based consulting firm specializing in foreign direct investment and international location analysis. Julia's keen insights have been a regular part of Site Selection for the past few years, and I look forward to her and her colleagues' continued and enhanced involvement with the magazine.

Till next time,

©2003 Conway Data, Inc. All rights reserved. SiteNet data is from many sources and not warranted to be accurate or current.