Application of a hierarchical model for city competitiveness in cities of India

Performance of cities is fundamental in growing the local economy by exploiting the opportunities for development and enhancing competitiveness. Cities engage in regeneration and business strategies linked to the property sector to advance their competitiveness. In this paper, a hierarchical model for city competitiveness linked to regeneration and business strategies is applied to five cities with different economic profile in India. The capacity of the model to evaluate the competitive performance of cities in emerging economies is assessed across three levels – cities, six operational components and 32 identified factors. The paper draws inferences concerning the linkages across regeneration strategies and property-led business strategies to advance the competitiveness of cities in India.

► The state of knowledge on city competitiveness is enhanced through a link to regeneration and business strategies.
► The capacity of model to evaluate competitiveness performance of cities is reflected by assessment across multiple levels.
► The competitiveness performance of five cities in India is evaluated.