Urban governance, management, and influence had been on the policy agenda in the Asian-Pacific region for two decades or so but with the worldwide economic crisis that began in 2008 these issues have taken on a more visible and acute dimension. As governments turned to fiscal stimulus in a bid to kick-start lagging economies, the main beneficiaries were none other than cities in the expectation that they would generate substantial multiplier effects. This recognition of the major role of cities in national economic prosperity was not unwelcome per se; however, it also highlighted the various institutional deficiencies and shortcomings that leave Asian cities ill-prepared to face present and future challenges.