Many authors in their various writings have explained the notion what a global city is. The models deal with different cities, and these authors took their time to model the cities in their own words. This piece of writing takes a comparison of two writers, i.e. Mackenzie and Sassen. Although the two authors may have a similar opinion of what is composed in a global city, they also differ in some aspects. The comparisons of their opinions will give the readers a well-measured definition of a city is its composition.

Thesis statement

Comparing and contrasting author Mackenzie and Sassen towards the model of a city

Discussion

Mackenzie defines a city using what he calls human environment. He bases his argument from plant ecology saying that since there is an understanding of the plant’s environment, it is then easy to gain understanding of the city using the idea from the association of plants. The author analyses the behavior of plants, their associations sand interdependence, and their relations to the environment and successfully relates them to human behavior. On the other hand, Sassenuses a conceptual architecture in his model of the city. He bases his argument on the terms global city and global city region, which according to him are critical in the model of the city. The conception of the city, according to him started with trade relationships in the past where empires traded between each other. This brought together business people and hence the development of a settlement which later turned into a city (Sassen, 1991).

Mackenzie argues thatit is due to the environmental forces, in this case competition for resources, which makes the people to move. The mere fact that animals have the ability to locomote means that these competitions will prompt them to move to regions where they are more comfortable in. This movement results in a mass of people that have mutual needs and benefits. He says that these people stay in this ecology because one needs the other and vice versa: one cannot thrive without the other. This concept is brought forth from the idea of plant ecology.Although Sassen uses different wording in his explanation, he does agree with Mackenzie that a city is modeled out of theselection, competition and interdependence on a particular resource.

While Mackenzie adduces that globalization is an aspect that comes from within, Sassen argues that it is a thing that comes from outside. He creates a conception that the development of a city comes from a force from outside the area the city is located and not from the actions of the members of these states (Mackenzie, 1924).Sassen reviewsdifferent definitions of a global city, including the fact that many authors view globalization in the economic aspect only. He says that, although globalization is based on the economy, there are other elements that come with globalization. These factors can be measured using anthropological and sociological examinations of the processes taking place in the city (Sassen, 1991).

The sustenance of any population, according to Mackenzie is dependent on the size of the natural resources. Agriculture is the main source of these resources in the Mackenzie’s model of the city. He claims that a larger population means that there is a big wealth of natural resources supporting the populace. Other factors influencing the growth of population are shade and water. Though shelter may be artificial, water is a natural resource, and this solidifies the idea that Mackenzie had that city forms due to physical factors. Unlike food, shelter and water are not so mobile but inventions have made it sure that they can be moved from one part to the next. Sassen on his part agrees that shelter is asignificant part of any city and that this city does not have to depend on agriculture because its economy produces resources that can be used to purchase such things as food (Sassen, 1991).Both Mackenzie and Sassen agree that the trade is the main component that will sustain a larger population, unlike hunting and gathering and agriculture.

McKenzie points out in his classification of cities that these types of towns are concerned with only one type of activity. He classifies them as fishing, agriculture, or a lumbering town. The point where he concurs with Sassen is when he mentions the different areas of production i.e. Primary, secondary, and tertiary production. He remembers to mention that the cities mentioned above were all in the primary stage of production (Mackenzie, 1924). Sassen differs with him in only one aspect by claiming that in a global city all types of activities and production run concurrently. These activities are not based on different cities, but are done in the same towns (Sassen, 1991).

According to Sassen, primary functions become very involvedin increasing the headquarters of large firms. They buy portions of shares from central functions thatare highly specialized service firms. The shares put into account public relation, accounting, telecommunication, programming, and other services. The base was, therefore, constructed in order to produce central functions or components of them. The firms take part in the global market and non-routine managements, but when the headquarters increase all firms that are larger will purchase more inputs than producing them in-house. While McKenzieshows that urban bases were formed, as a result, of stability and size of human community that the function of production and distribution of commodities. When trade and commerce started, very large communities develop at points of break at transportation, that is, at the mouths of rivers, junctions of streams, at water- falls, and shallows where streams are formed. When other forms of transportation develop, new points of deliberation occur and aged points become accentuate or reduced. Also, when are carried out within the areas another point of contraption come into existence. This was meagerly determined by the source of power and raw materials, which was available (Mackenzie, 1924).

Sassen focus on the work of the production process in finance and complex services based on global marketplaces, which can involve in incorporating facilities of globalization and infrastructures as whole. What emerges from there is an economic configuration, which is very different from what is shown by the concept of the information economy. Material condition, place boundaries, and production sites were recovered as part of the information economy and globalization. Places of establishing industries were identified while considering the availability of raw materials, availability of water and the available labor market. All this was influenced by the production and distribution of resources from producers to the final consumers.

While McKenzie argues that commodities were redistributed to the final consumer of the product that is the finished product. The community participating in such activity depends upon the nature and the form utility of the product within the surrounding trade area. The community responds very faster to the elements that affect the productivity of the economic base or the extent of the area from which it draws its sustenance. The product is received from various foreign markets than they are redistributed to the respective destinations where the consumers are. The most important thing, which is considered here, is the form utility of the goods. Some products are redistributed to the industries for further processing while the finished product is redistributed to the final consumer. Basic material can also be collected from the surrounding primary communities and redistributed to the broad markets of the world. Redistribution of products to the central communities is ailing from other parts of the world for final consumption. His is what is termed as commercial community is rational; it may combine several functions and carry out together at the same time. The size of the community depends upon the amount of goods to be a redistribution (Mackenzie, 1924).

Conclusion

Mackenzie defines the model of the city using old terms. He also bases his arguments on plant ecology. In plant ecology, the environmental factors influence the way of life in this habitat. He compares this to the human ecology stating the only difference is the ability of humans to move and to change the environment to suit them. He explains the composition of the city from a form within those in the city (Mackenzie, 1924). On the other hand, Sassen takes a more global aspect of the city. His model of the city is global, and he explains the processes are taking place in the city in global terms. His take has new ideas with trade in its forefront. The two authors do not differ much on the models of their cities. It is however true to state that one is of the past century, while the other author was born in recent years (Sassen, 1991).

Work Cited

McKenzie, Roderick. The Ecological Approach to the Study of the Human Community. American Journal of Sociology, 30.3, (1924): 287-301. Print.

Saskia Sassen. The global city: New York. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. 2001. Print

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