Peter Kresl brings unique and invaluable empirical evidence, from the early 1990s through to 2005, to examine the relationship between urban competitiveness and economic-strategic planning for ten internationally networked cities within the EU.Planning Cities for the Future links the study of urban economic competitiveness with urban planning and is able to ascertain the crucial factors for success in this area of public policy. These factors include effective governance, leadership and monitoring of performance. The author also reveals how economic turbulence - macro-economic stagnation, the emergence of competitors such as China and Central Europe and the introduction of the euro for example - all have distinct impacts on the economic development of cities. He also suggests that today's economic strengths may create tomorrow's social pathologies, a fact which city planners must always keep in mind. Peter Kresl's book offers examples of cities that got it right and others that did not.

Scholars and researchers interested in public sector economics, urban economic development and planning as well as city planners themselves will find much to interest and stimulate them in this book.