From Managerialism to Entrepreneurialism: The Transformation in Urban Governance in Late Capitalism

In recent years, urban governance has become In- creasingly preoccupied with the exploration of new ways in which to foster and encourage local development and employment growth. Such an entrepreneurial stance contrasts with the mana- gerial practices of earlier decades which primarily focussed on the local provision of services, facilities and benefits to urban populations. This paper explores the context of this shift from managerialism to entrepreneurialism in urban governance and seeks to show how mechanisms of inter-urban competition shape outcomes and generate macroeconomic consequences. The rela- tions between urban change and economic development are the- reby brought into focus in a period characterised by considerable economic and political instability.