David Harvey’s 1989 article, ‘From managerialism to entrepreneurialism: the transformation of urban governance’, has very quickly become a ‘citation classic’. This article provides a brief summary of Harvey’s argument focusing on the distinguishing characteristics of urban entrepreneurialism, the strategies undertaken by governing coalitions and the importance of inter‐urban competition to the entrepreneurial thesis.

 Harvey’s arguments have stimulated work in a number of areas and these are indicated. Important gaps in the literature are also highlighted. It is concluded that direct engagement with Harvey’s thesis has been surprisingly limited and that the dominant tactic in the literature on urban entrepreneurialism has been to use Harvey’s argument as a preface to rather than a framework for study.