Influences and Impacts of a Global Economy on Metropolitan and Urban Growth

People are, to varying degrees, hedonistic by nature. Wherever man can find that which satisfies his basic primal needs, he is drawn like a fish to water.  By having a lucrative livelihood, a city dweller is able to live relatively comfortably and lead an enriched lifestyle.  Those city dwellers that are less fortunate may view city life with a less than enchanted point of view. This research paper will examine the influences on metropolitan and urban sprawl and how the evolution of various metropolitan and urban philosophies on growth have been impacted by high-tech global capabilities and how these advances have also come to level the playing field when it comes to race and gender.  Ultimately, we will be examining how these same high-tech global changes have the potential to alter peoples attitudes associated with metropolitan lifestyles versus urban lifestyles.

As we enter into a new world of a global economy, we suddenly find that changes that begin with a ripple effect can ultimately lead to a tsunami outcome.  The United States has recently experience a severe economic downturn resulting from a number of economic factors.  As we inch closer and closer to becoming a global society, we see a shift in how we view the role of metropolitan and urban growth.  Cities offer culture, entertainment and lucrative opportunities that are not as available in most rural communities. Over time, the attraction to cities from urban life has increased and in present day, the majority of people tend to be city dwellers.  While each city takes on an identity as unique as its skyline, cities around the world also have certain traits and attractions common to each other. Geographies, commerce, race and gender have all played a key role in how cities have evolved and how they will continue to evolve in the future.   In this new global economy, much of business is interacted via the internet between private parties. Companies like ebay, PayPal, Craigslist.com, Sykes.com etc. provide the means for international transactions to be available to even the most novice of international traders.  The relatively low cost of developing a website and posting on the World Wide Web allows entrepreneurs to conduct business worldwide from any home computer or even a portable laptop with wireless internet capabilities.    The Internet, with some exception, also allows anonymity.  This anonymity significantly contributes to reducing the threat of racial or gender related issues from arising.