A report has outlined the need to improve Glasgow's transport links while it highlighted a rejuvenated financial services sector with banking giants such as Barclays Bank anchoring the push to boost future business.
The report commissioned by Glasgow City Council and Glasgow Chamber of Commerce underlines the need for city to improve transport connectivity and productivity while also assessing its business performance in relation to its UK, European and global competitor cities.
It will be followed by separate transport-specific report now planned involving the council, the chamber and Glasgow Airport, with business leaders having called for better links as a critical element for future growth.
The report stated that "poor connectivity across the region is a key constraint", adding: "The result is a city not yet fully set up to provide maximum efficiency to incoming business activity."
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The paper, which culled information from 25 locally generated studies and 450 comparative studies, also found a "renewed effort is now needed" to grow and maintain a skills base and further its global reputation.
While Glasgow is known for its sport, culture, art and lifestyle appeal, the study said, its business prowess receives less global recognition.
Tech, tourism, further and higher education and the creative industries, including Channel 4's commitment to the city, were also hailed as high achieving.
The report, presented to the 2018 State of the City Economy Conference in Glasgow, showed the city has a "resurgent finance cluster" and is one of only about 15 medium-sized cities in the world with a "recognised and maturing international financial centre".
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The report states: "As the financial district matures and attracts more anchor occupiers, Glasgow now performs unusually well in international metrics of financial services centres.
"A number of key anchors, including Morgan Stanley and Barclays Bank, are helping to unlock some of the remaining sites."
Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council, said: "The Barclays deal is the most significant inward investment ever made in Glasgow and is a beacon for what the public and private sector can achieve in close collaboration."
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She added: "This report shows both how well Glasgow’s economy has developed and what needs to be done to take the city to the next level.
"In the past year alone, the city’s economy has grown by 4.4 per cent, unemployment is at a record low, and we are ranked 32nd globally for medium-sized cities.
"Glasgow now keeps some serious company in terms of the cities it compares to and competes with, and is seen as a leader in terms of lifestyle and innovation in particular.
"Our very high level of graduate residents relative to competitor cities is just one reason for our economic performance, which sees a rejuvenated financial sector, a skilled talent base, a global reputation for events, sports and the creative industries, and one of the most dynamic and resilient retail sectors in the UK.
"The report does not only paint a picture of Glasgow’s successes, it addresses the challenges the city faces in productivity, poor transport connectivity and too many of our people being unskilled and under-qualified."
The report added: "The academic studies and recent evaluative reports provide compelling evidence that Glasgow has emerged into a much more competitive city than 20-30-40 years ago."
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