European cities are not all alike from an economic standpoint

In this dossier, we discuss the thesis of a convergence of economic profiles of European cities. We hope to show that, while European cities are all subject to the same job market and company changes associated with the post-Ford era, they retain specific characteristics inherited from their economic histories. In the first analysis, we present research demonstrating that the economic functions of European cities have retained certain specific characteristics. In the second analysis, we determine which factors prevent the economic foundations of European cities from becoming homogeneous.