Furthermore, secondary cities “usually form more recent poles of growth, often also with a more diffuse genealogy, than larger metropoles. The ambivalent situation of these towns (in the periphery of the center and in the center of the periphery, in so far as these notions still retain their meaning) generates a particular, and by definition highly hybrid, socio-cultural urban dynamic which in turn influences the outlook of social, political and economic life in the more visible national metropoles.”Ann Cassiman, Filip De Boeck, Steven Van Wolputte,(2009, September), Recentering the City: An Anthropology of Secondary Cities in Africa. Institute for Anthropological Research in Africa (IARA), University of Leuven, Belgium. Secondary cities have their own socio-economic and political culture that may differ from other cities such as Primate cites. Moreover, in the secondary city (and more generally in the margin of the state) there often is more room for improvisation. Local commerce, trading routes and smuggling networks determine the economic sphere in important ways; local forms of associational life (the middle ground of ‘civil society’) has a far greater influence on local politics than is the case in larger urban centers , and the functioning of local, decentralized political authorities is often shaped and cross-cut to a far greater extent by constantly shifting alliances between local stakeholders.”Dennis A. Rondinelli, "Dynamics of Growth of Secondary Cities in Developing Countries". In Geographical Review, American Geographical Society, Vol. 73, No. 1 (Jan., 1983), pp. 42-57. Consequently, countries like India are developing secondary cities to absorb informals —as India's chief economic planner, Montek singh Ahluwalia in 2007, observes: "One hundred million people are moving to cities in the next 10 years, and it’s important that these 100 million are absorbed into second-tier cities instead of showing up in Delhi or Mumbai."Anand Giridharadas,"Second Tier’ City to Rise Fast Under India’s Urban Plan", New York Times, May 13, 2007. Accessed September 14, 2014 In Latin America, where primary cities long monopolized growth, secondary cities like Tijuana, Curitiba, Temuco, Salvador and Belem are now booming, "with the fastest growth of all occurring cities with between 100,000 and 500,000 inhabitants."Miguel villa and Jorge Rodriguez, "Demographic trends in Latin America’s metropolises,1950-1990", in Alan Gilbert, The mega-city in Latin America, Tokyo 1996, pp. 33-34 Also in China, "[t]he world's top hotel companies are clambering to open properties in China's second- and third-tier cities across all their brands. The sheer size of even tertiary cities, coupled with the growth in domestic travel and the potential gains of modern, international meeting facilities, has led to hotel development at unprecedented levels."Big Hotel openings in China's Secondary Cities, CEI Asia, July 12, 2012. Accessed September 14, 2014 These new developments are tying to integrate secondary cities into the global and local economy as well from the examples that are seen from China. Another  development is that China Eastern Airlines has increased its number of flights to secondary cities in China.China Eastern links secondary Chinese cities, Business Traveller, November 18, 2012 Importance According to the World Bank, secondary Cities make up almost 40\% of the world cities population. Nearly two-thirds of these are located in Africa and Asia: "They form an important part of an emerging global system of cities."World Bank, Systems of Cities Integrating National and Local Policies Connecting Institutions and Infrastructures. 2009, World Bank: Washington. While the large cities play a significant role in shaping the new economic geography of cities in fostering global trade, travel and investment, it is secondary cities which will have a much stronger influence in the future upon the economic development of countries."Roberts B. and Hohmann R. (2014), Secondary Cities: Managing Urban Land Governance Systems. Paper presented at the World Bank and Land Poverty 2014: Uses of Spatial Data in Urban Management    
Furthermore, secondary cities “usually form more recent poles of growth, often also with a more diffuse genealogy, than larger metropoles. The ambivalent situation of these towns (in the periphery of the centre and in the centre of the periphery, in so far as these notions still retain their meaning) generates a particular, and by definition highly hybrid, socio-cultural urban dynamic which in turn influences the outlook of social, political and economic life in the more visible national metropoles.”Ann Cassiman, Filip De Boeck, Steven Van Wolputte,(2009, September), Recentering the City: An Anthropology of Secondary Cities in Africa. Institute for Anthropological Research in Africa (IARA), University of Leuven, Belgium. Secondary cities have their own socio-economic and political culture that may differ from other cities such as Primate cites. Moreover, in the secondary city (and more generally in the margin of the state) there often is more room for improvisation. Local commerce, trading routes and smuggling networks determine the economic sphere in important ways; local forms of associational life (the middle ground of ‘civil society’) has a far greater influence on local politics than is the case in larger urban centres , and the functioning of local, decentralized political authorities is often shaped and cross-cut to a far greater extent by constantly shifting alliances between local stakeholders.”Dennis A. Rondinelli, "Dynamics of Growth of Secondary Cities in Developing Countries". In Geographical Review, American Geographical Society, Vol. 73, No. 1 (Jan., 1983), pp. 42-57. Consequently, countries like India are developing secondary cities to absorb informal dwellers —as India's chief economic planner, Montek singh Ahluwalia in 2007, observes: "One hundred million people are moving to cities in the next 10 years, and it’s important that these 100 million are absorbed into second-tier cities instead of showing up in Delhi or Mumbai."Anand Giridharadas,"Second Tier’ City to Rise Fast Under India’s Urban Plan", New York Times, May 13, 2007. Accessed September 14, 2014 In Latin America, where primary cities long monopolized growth, secondary cities like Tijuana, Curitiba, Temuco, Salvador and Belem are now booming, "with the fastest growth of all occurring cities with between 100,000 and 500,000 inhabitants."Miguel villa and Jorge Rodriguez, "Demographic trends in Latin America’s metropolises,1950-1990", in Alan Gilbert, The mega-city in Latin America, Tokyo 1996, pp. 33-34 Also in China, "[t]he world's top hotel companies are clambering to open properties in China's second- and third-tier cities across all their brands. The sheer size of even tertiary cities, coupled with the growth in domestic travel and the potential gains of modern, international meeting facilities, has led to hotel development at unprecedented levels."Big Hotel openings in China's Secondary Cities, CEI Asia, July 12, 2012. Accessed September 14, 2014 These new developments are trying to integrate secondary cities into the global and local economy as well from the examples that are seen from China. Another sign of development is that China Eastern Airlines has increased its number of flights to secondary cities in China.China Eastern links secondary Chinese cities, Business Traveller, November 18, 2012 Importance According to the World Bank, secondary Cities make up almost 40\% of the world cities population. Nearly two-thirds of these are located in Africa and Asia: "They form an important part of an emerging global system of cities."World Bank, Systems of Cities Integrating National and Local Policies Connecting Institutions and Infrastructures. 2009, World Bank: Washington. While the large cities play a significant role in shaping the new economic geography of cities in fostering global trade, travel and investment, it is secondary cities which will have a much stronger influence in the future upon the economic development of countries."Roberts B. and Hohmann R. (2014), Secondary Cities: Managing Urban Land Governance Systems. Paper presented at the World Bank and Land Poverty 2014: Uses of Spatial Data in Urban Management While the importance of secondary cities is increasingly recognised, growing inequalities are emerging between systems of cities and regions, with metropolitan areas often prospering at the expense of smaller cities and rural areas. Small and medium-sized (or intermediary) generate little more than 15 per cent of global GDP. Moreover, many secondary cities have a high and expensive dependency on them for access to markets, goods, supply chains, transport, and advanced business and community services. Moreover, secondary cities often have low levels of lateral connectivity and trade between transportation corridors – making it hard to attract investments, jobs, or add value to exports due to economies of scale and high transaction costs. Networks are critical to improving the level of communications, exchange and movement among systems of secondary cities. Many networks will require investment in hard infrastructure, such as transport and communications, and soft infrastructure to facilitate greater economic, social, cultural and governance exchange. This involves building city, industry and firm partnerships, as well as collaborative governance and economic development. Collaboration is also vital to finance such hard and soft strategic infrastructure, through arrangements to share revenue as well as development, operating and maintenance costs. If enhanced connectivity is to be used as a strategy to support the economic development of secondary cities, policy makers must understand the need for integration of hard and soft connectivity elements, and how governments can facilitate their development.
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While the importance of secondary cities is increasingly recognised, growing inequalities are emerging between systems of cities and regions, with metropolitan areas often prospering at the expense of smaller cities and rural areas. Small and medium-sized (or intermediary) generate little more than 15 per cent of global GDP.
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Moreover, many secondary cities have a high and expensive dependency on them for access to markets, goods, supply chains, transport, and advanced business and community services. Moreover, secondary cities often have low levels of lateral connectivity and trade between transportation corridors – making it hard to attract investments, jobs, or add value to exports due to economies of scale and high transaction costs. Networks are critical to improving the level of communications, exchange and movement among systems of secondary cities.
A
Many networks will require investment in hard infrastructure, such as transport and communications, and soft infrastructure to facilitate greater economic, social, cultural and governance exchange. This involves building city, industry and firm partnerships, as well as collaborative governance and economic development. Collaboration is also vital to finance such hard and soft strategic infrastructure, through arrangements to share revenue as well as development, operating and maintenance costs.
A
If enhanced connectivity is to be used as a strategy to support the economic development of secondary cities, policy makers must understand the need for integration of hard and soft connectivity elements, and how governments can facilitate their development.