Connecting to the Global Circuit: Matching the Learning Cities of South-East Asia as the Preferential Place for Global Corporate Innovation Culture

The effects of economic globalization have radically influenced the function of cities into global business marketplace. This makes it inevitable for city development strategies to manage, not only planned, the assertive role of cities in the world business platform. Thus, city branding strategic initiatives are viewed as a vital component in re-imaging future competitive urban footprints. This preamble suggests that the key challenge is not just to attract foreign investment but also to reciprocate with the outward-approach city branding, vis-̂-vis; the marketing of products and services that cities produced. Therefore, the intent of this article is to review the significant impacts on the infiltration of the global corporate culture that may limit the role of South-East Asian cities as competitive marketplace.