European cities are at the centre of social, political and economic changes in Western Europe. This book proposes a new research agenda in urban sociology and politics applying primarily to European cities, in particular those that together make up the urban structure of Europe: a fabric of older cities of over 100,000 inhabitants, regional capitals and smaller state capitals. The contributors develop an analytical framework which views cities as local societies, and as collective factors and site for modes of governance. The three parts of the book examine the economics of cities, the social structures, and the modes and processes of governance. Each chapter comprises a comparison across several countries and examines critically the book's central theoretical perspective. This is not a book about the making of a Europe of cities but rather about how some cities can take advantage of their changing global and European environment.

European cities are at the center of social, political and economic changes in Western Europe. This book develops a new analytical framework in urban sociology and politics, and examines the economics of cities, their social structures, and the modes and processes of governance. Each chapter comprises a comparison across several countries and examines critically the book's central theoretical perspective. This is not a book about the making of a Europe of cities but rather about how some cities can take advantage of their changing global and European environment.

This text examines the activities of small and medium-sized enterprises, and asks whether they have been regulated entirely through a dependence on the freemarket - which would explain their success compared with large companies. Or have they, on the other hand, simply been better organized? In answering this, the contributors compare the structures of SMEs with those of larger enterprises, and look at how they change when they begin to expand. The interaction of the market and political regulation is also discussed, together with the reasons why SMEs are created.