This book, from a team of authors at one of Europe#xE2;#xAC;"s leading centres for the study of urban and regional studies in Erasmus University provides a view on the challenges cities are confronted with in the twenty first century. Modern trends that influence the spatial-economic development of urban regions including globalization, climate change, European integration and the information technology revolution have several implications for urban management. Cities and their hinterlands need to be competitive, while securing the balance between economic, social and environmental aims. The authors see urban management as a co-production of governments, business, non-governmental organizations and citizens and emphasize that urban economics and management can be analysed on various spatial levels: from an area (district) to the metropolitan region and beyond, including global city networks.