Glurbanization of the Chinese megacity Guangzhou – image-building and city development through entrepreneurial governance

摘要

The continuing integration of the Chinese economy into theglobalizing world and increasing intercity competition have had significantand comparatively recent implications for post-socialist urbanization inChina. Driven by market-oriented development and globalization,decentralization of economic decision-making and downscaling of governancefrom the central state to local governments and authorities characterize thechanging role of the state from urban managerialism to urbanentrepreneurialism. Drawing on Jessop's definition of the entrepreneurialcity and his concept of glurbanization, this paper aims to identify andanalyse different modes of entrepreneurial urban governance based on theexample of Guangzhou, a Chinese megacity that has been under intense pressureto revitalize its leading role as an economic, commercial and cultural centrein the Pearl River Delta and the rest of southern China. To faceglobalization and promote competitiveness, Guangzhou pursues variousinnovative interscalar entrepreneurial strategies in an activeentrepreneurial fashion through adopting an entrepreneurial discourse. Thisis critically reflected upon within this article.