The good governance of metropolitan areas is critical for the economic and social progress of countries. Extending over vast territories, the management of metropolitan areas falls under the jurisdiction of several local authorities and other state and central government entities and faces problems with the interjurisdictional coordination of functions and resources. Managing the Metropolis explores key metropolitan management issues, presents practical principles of good governance as they apply to the metropolis, and unfolds cases of institutional and programmatic arrangements to tackle such issues. There are no easy solutions or single formulas, as each metropolitan area must find its own path to governance suitable to its current level of development and future evolution, and consistent with its legal and institutional framework. These essays will contribute to this debate by discussing the principles of good metropolitan governance, analyzing the advantages and limitations of different models, and presenting results of recent experiences in metropolitan areas that have progressed in improving metropolitan governance.

Eduardo Rojas is Principal Urban Development Specialist at the Inter-American Development Bank.

Juan R. Cuadrado-Roura is Professor of Applied Economics at the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the University of Alcalà, Spain.

José Miguel Fernandez Guell is Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, School of Architecture, Polytechnic University of Madrid.

Sarah Schineller is a freelance consultant living in Barcelona.