Mapping the evolution of hierarchical and regional tendencies in the world city network, 2000–2010

•Visualizing changes in the world city network through alluvial diagrams.•Highlighting (changes in) hierarchical and regional patterns in the world city network.•The non-map based visualization framework can be adapted to study other urban systems.

This paper visualizes the evolution of the dominant hierarchical and regional patterns in the world city network, drawing upon an analytical framework integrating categorical correlation, hierarchical clustering, and alluvial diagrams. Our analysis confirms the continued interweaving of hierarchical and regional patterns in the world city network as measured by cities’ similarities in the presence of globalized service firms, but equally highlights some of the key changes that have occurred between 2000 and 2010 such as the rise of the BRIC cities, Dubai’s leading positions in the Arab Gulf, and the stratification of US cities.