Rethinking city economic resilience: exploring deglomeration of firms in inner-city Harare

ABSTRACT

City resilience is a concern for the majority of African cities especially those facing acute economic challenges. Harare city is not an exception as it shows signs of decline in the face of continual national economic crisis. Thus, this article seeks to examine how the economic shock has affected the economic well-being of the central business district (CBD) in Harare and to recommend policy strategies that can be adopted to improve the city’s competitiveness and economic resilience. This article’s originality lies in conceptualising economic resilience within a city sub-region, rather than the city as a whole. Through analysing the firms operating in the CBD, this article seeks to explain the operational challenges that have caused winding up, downsizing and/or relocation of firms highlighting their effects on the competitiveness and the economic dominance of the CBD. In closing, strategies are explored that can be adopted to avoid the general decline currently prevailing in inner-city Harare.

KEYWORDS:

• Adaptability
• city competitiveness
• economic resilience
• high vacancy rate
• local planning authority

Acknowledgments

The author would want to thank Prof. H S Geyer and the CRUISE team for their assistance during the Third Biannual Urban and Regional Science Conference. The author is also grateful to all the conference delegates and the anonymous reviewers who contributed to this article through their constructive criticisms.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

The author would want to especially thank the Great Zimbabwe University for providing funding that enabled him to travel and attend the Third Biannual Urban and Regional Science Conference held at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, from 3 to 5 July 2017, where an earlier version of this article was presented.

Notes on contributors

Tazviona Richman Gambe

Tazviona Richman Gambe has over 10 years of experience in urban planning and development work and has over 5 years experience in university lectureship. His research interests are regional economic resilience – focusing mainly on urban economics, industrial agglomeration and deglomeration and city economic well-being; urban water supply – focusing on urban water shortages and their implications on gender; service delivery; water infrastructure provision and maintenance; real estate research – focusing mainly on real estate valuation and the property management practice; and sustainable livelihoods – focusing on both rural and urban livelihoods.