Globalisation plays a significant role in the development of cities as each city restructures the way they do business in order to attract investments. Urbanization and the clustering of the same land uses; some of the effects of globalisation, have had some impact on planning, place and space within a city. Since globalisation has shifted the worlds interest to focus on clustering of the same information technology companies for economic development city administrators need to have land use zones and land use schemes that support agglomeration of firms. They also need to ensure provision of land for these firms. Badcock (2002:95) states that as the locational requirements of firms’ changes over time it causes change in urban form. Clustering of the same land uses causes a strain on existing land use infrastructures and because these companies are within the city they cause immigration to the city for better job opportunities.
Immigration leads to higher populations within the city and the need to have vacant land to provide infrastructure, housing and public facilities to cater for the population. Globalisation means that the city needs to have an efficient transport system for a more mobile society. This means that a city needs to have an efficient road network to connect its mobile society, service delivery as well as connect it to other cities. Firms that specialize with metal production should also consider resourceful ways of discarding any metal waste from their production process. This is because if metal pieces are discarded in their backyard and cause soil degradation and the firm relocates that land will not be usable for certain land uses for example agricultural purposes or residential purpose.
Globalisation has brought about computer technology that makes it easier to access to different types of data. The use of updated technology means that planners are able to use geographic information system data and remote sensing data that facilitate effective spatial planning. This computer software includes GIS, AutoCAD, etc. Globalization has posed an impact on spatial planning amongst cities, especially with regards to the increasing demand for suitable services and infrastructure and the formation of new social structure in global cities. Cities had to also improve their transportation, communication and technological systems in order to cater for human interaction with regards to geographic distance and connectivity. There has been a change in location patterns of industries.
Industries require mostly nodal places that are highly concentrated with facilities, which also consist of adequate infrastructure systems. This therefore gives a locational impact on industries to locate within city centers hence creating residents to locate at the periphery of cities. Industries administer the system of spatial division of labour and techniques of production. For example telecommunication and information technology industries take charge where different stages of production could be divided according to specific features of that product being manufactured and according to specialisations of different regions and workforce.
The practice of division of labour discriminate women because they tend to work at firms that pay low wages or become informal labour as they in cultural perspectives, are restricted to migrate in search of better jobs and from a political point of view are excluded from the domestic political process and have less control over global pressures.Transportation and telecommunication being the core players in encouraging suitable spatial planning, raises the need for implementing urban planning to cities. Cities have become pressured to integrate these core players as they have an impact in a local and regional context. This has put a challenge on governments, as they are obliged to respond to these domestic demands.Since globalisation has put an impact on cities to become more developed, urbanisation has also risen due to this factor.
People from rural areas migrate to cities to acquire better living. This enhances the system of urban sprawl and the development of informal settlements.
