The Business of Cities 2015

JLL
The Business of Cities 2015 5
Their careful analysis and leverage of deep networks provide a unique angle on city trends, patterns of growth and
investment, and the effects of political, regulatory or strategic change. Indices, especially when viewed as a whole,
give unique insight into the development cycles of cities, their achievements versus their peers, the gaps in their
competitive offer, and their strategic priorities going forward.
Breakdown of the 200 indices
No. of indices No. of new indices since 2013
All-round global offer 8 1
Business, finance and investment 29 2
Economic growth and performance 16 2
Quality of life 40 13
Brand, reputation and influence 23 10
Infrastructure and transport 24 4
Culture and lifestyle 10 2
Knowledge, talent and innovation 22 4
Environment and sustainability 20 4
Cost and affordability 8 1
Total 200 43
New all-round indices
2014 saw the addition of two important new comprehensive benchmarks of city success, both of which add
new ingredients to the way cities are measured and compared. The Cities in Motion study by IESE Business
School introduces the strongest gauge of strategic planning and innovation capacity seen in city indices to date.
Meanwhile, the Global Liveable Cities Index is an exciting new partnership between researchers in Singapore
and California, which bridges the gap between quality of life and growth performance.
By exploring new factors of competitiveness, both these studies add a degree of caution about the ability of
emerging cities to catch up and overtake others through multiple cycles. Cities whose economies globalised
in earlier cycles appear to have retained distinct advantages, including mature governance and systems of
innovation. These indices indicate that highly liveable cities can flourish in a century of megacities if they are also
agile centres of innovation and job creation. Geneva, Singapore, Copenhagen and Helsinki all currently excel in
this respect.
At the same time, 2014 and 2015 have seen leading indices add new dimensions in an attempt to explain why
some cities retain appeal to local and global audiences. MORI’s Global Power City Index has added an ‘urban
intangible values’ metric to establish a closer sense of the daily experience and perception of cities, which shapes
how attractive they are to their many ‘customers’. AT Kearney’s Global Cities Index has also adapted to measure
information exchange in cities more effectively, as established indices adjust to enhance their validity and appeal.