STRATEGY, CITY PLANNING AND METROPOLITAN MANAGEMENT

Abstract

From the end of the 20th century on, the changes that took place in the world, due to the globalization process, have produced a considerable transformation in the way that cities are being connected, establishing what is called the urban network. It involves geopolitical, socioeconomic, environmental and cultural aspects. This world wide juncture favored the local empowerment, what made the cities the space of decision making with the highest influence over the quality of life, as well as the urban infrastructure itself. The uncontrolled growth of the main urban centers brought several consequences and new challenges. The adoption of strategies and city planning have been understood as an answer to overcome the urban, rural and metropolitan issues, with all due respect to each one of these situations particular approaches, in an integrated character. The objective of this article is to discuss how possible is the development of a region based on a strategic view of each city that is part of it. The discussion of city planning and the conclusion are directly related to the metropolitan areas context, when the integration becomes a very important characteristic, once the significant interdependency among cities cannot be denied, even though the competition among them is a reality.