Elnaz Behzadpour; Mohammadreza Farzad Behtash; Zahra Sadat Saeideh Zarabadi
Abstract
Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: Today, “knowledge” has become a vital necessity for increasing the competitiveness of countries and cities in the twenty-first ...
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Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: Today, “knowledge” has become a vital necessity for increasing the competitiveness of countries and cities in the twenty-first century. Therefore, a knowledge-based economy, defined as an economy capable of generating, disseminating, and utilizing knowledge, has led to a shift from traditional patterns of urban development to knowledge-based development, ultimately resulting in a knowledge-based city. On the other hand, it is now established that a city relies more on its capacities for innovation than on material resources and central government support. Innovation, resulting from the dissemination of local knowledge through interactions among urban elements such as businesses, customers, suppliers, and universities, is what drives growth, economic development, sustainability, and urban competitiveness. However, unfortunately, the main pillars or areas of innovation, which are the connecting points between the concepts of knowledge-based urban development and urban competitiveness, have not been identified in the global literature. In this regard, Tehran, as a megacity, due to the emergence of a networked society and the phenomenon of a knowledge-based economy, has set a new perspective called “knowledge-based urban development” and a competitive city on the agenda of its planning and urban development. However, there is currently no written plan for moving towards a competitive knowledge-based city in Tehran, and there is a need for review and revision. In line with the aforementioned, the main issue of the research is the neglect and insufficient attention to the main driving force such as innovation as a value-creating capital for achieving competitive knowledge-based urban development in Tehran. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to address this gap in the global literature in locating competitive knowledge-based urban development (innovative regions) in the megacity of Tehran.Methods: The aforementioned research has an applied development objective, gathering data through documentary studies and expert interviews in a Delphi format involving 20 experts. A total of 54 influential factors affecting the future state of competitive knowledge-based urban development in Tehran, within 13 components (diversity, urban scale and population density, spatial proximity, internal spatial connectivity, external spatial connectivity, knowledge dissemination to society, government support, ICT application, innovative society, economic competitiveness, organizational-institutional competitiveness, locational character, and human capital), and 6 dimensions (institutional-organizational, economic, physical, socio-cultural, activity-performance, and technology-communication) were identified and then prioritized based on expert opinions using questionnaire tools and the Delphi technique. Furthermore, the method of Structural Mutual Effects Analysis was applied using the MICMAC software for further processing.Findings: The research findings indicate that 13 stimuli have been identified as the most influential factors on the future status of competitive knowledge-based urban development in Tehran. Among them, six main influential factors (decision-making culture based on knowledge, collaboration of knowledge actors and decision-makers in knowledge sharing, organizational interaction, supportive legal framework for knowledge-based activities, government investment in knowledge-based activities, strategic collaboration and organizational networking) fall under the institutional-organizational dimension, while five stimuli (knowledge-based businesses, the infrastructure of knowledge spaces, global urban competitiveness index, foreign direct investment, per capita gross domestic product of the city, international business environment, and urban innovation) belong to the economic dimension. Additionally, one stimulus related to the Gini coefficient of the urban region is categorized under the social-cultural dimension. This highlights the significant role of governments and organizations, as well as the economic planning approach and the importance of intellectual advocacy in achieving a competitive knowledge-based urban development future in Tehran.Conclusion: The research findings confirm the theory based on governance and economy in the development of competitive knowledge-based cities in Tehran. Contrary to what Florida suggests, it’s not only the creative class and soft factors that determine the development of competitive knowledge-based cities in Tehran, but rather a combination of governance-based theories and soft and economic condition theories that lay the foundation for the development of competitive knowledge-based cities. Therefore, priority should be given to these key drivers in formulating the main strategy for the future development of competitive knowledge-based urbanism in Tehran through the establishment of overarching documents and the content of urban planning schemes. Furthermore, the following points are summarized in the form of recommendations: Encouraging the clustering and concentration of innovative businesses and individuals to promote innovative activities and economic competition. In terms of government support, the establishment of official institutions to guide knowledge-based urban development, facilitating government-industry-academia collaboration, and investment in cutting-edge technologies are recommended. Additionally, governments are advised to act as entrepreneurs and market creators by deeply understanding and supporting knowledge-based businesses. In the societal sector, integrating traditional and new technological infrastructures, changing citizens’ lifestyles in line with sustainable development approaches, and altering social behaviors have been emphasized. Regarding diversity, diverse and context-appropriate spatial policies, the establishment of cultural hubs and districts, and infrastructure development to promote diversity and encourage the presence of various innovative industries have been proposed. In terms of external connectivity, upgrading public transportation systems and creating physical links between public spaces to facilitate access to technology and innovation clusters are among the suggestions. Finally, the development of organizations and knowledge-based individuals and the aggregation of knowledge actors are also proposed as strategies to enhance local knowledge and information.
