Extended Abstract
Background and Objectives: Cities worldwide serve as hubs of thought, competition, and growth. Knowledge-based urban development (KBUD) is a practical facet of sustainable development, addressing contemporary urban challenges. A knowledge-based city, the result of KBUD, thrives on a knowledge-driven regional economy with high value-added exports, created by research, technology, and intellectual capital and designed to encourage and strengthen knowledge. This study aims to identify and analyze the drivers of KBUD in the metropolis of Tehran.
Methods: The current study is a descriptive-analytical research and considered a practical research in terms of purpose. Key drivers were identified through qualitative content analysis using the Delphi method, which involves multiple rounds of expert surveys. In this method, the survey is conducted over two or more rounds, with the results of the first round provided to participants in the second round, allowing them to revise their initial evaluations or add to their previous comments if desired. The Delphi method in this research was evaluated by 20 expert screeners in three stages using a two-way matrix, covering 9 dimensions and 43 indicators. The structural analysis followed four stages: initial discovery, probabilistic stage, integration stage, and implementation stage, utilising MicMac software. Cross-effects analysis was used to determine the direct and indirect impacts of these drivers on the future of knowledge-based urban development in Tehran. It is important to note that analysing these systems is more complex than stable systems due to the involvement of multiple factors. These factors are categorised into five groups: 1) Determining or influencing factors; 2) Two-faceted factors, further divided into risk and target subgroups; 3) Influential factors, representing system outcomes; 4) Independent factors, which are split into discrete and secondary leverage factors; and 5) Regulatory factors.
Findings: After analysing the perspectives of experts over three different decades and studying the experiences of various cities and countries in both theory and practice, as well as examining urban development patterns, the criteria were evaluated qualitatively. This analysis relied on the consensus of 20 urban experts, including professors, managers, and specialists in the field, derived from the Delphi method. The criteria encompassed physical, human, technological, communication, planning, political, educational and research, cultural, and infrastructure factors. In physical infrastructure, sub-criteria included a coordinated approach to building, physical form, and urban structure. In human infrastructure, the experts highlighted enhancing the skills of residents and employees, social order, social quality, highly skilled organizations, strengthening human capital, social justice, knowledge worker overflow, and motivating population knowledge. For technical infrastructure, sub-criteria like technical capacity, technological knowledge, technology dissemination, and knowledge-enabling technologies were identified. In communication infrastructure, criteria such as communication and transportation, strong spatial relationships, accessibility, and connectivity emerged.In strategy and planning infrastructure, sub-criteria included knowledge policies, city management planning, people-centered planning, coordination between public and private sectors, quality administrative environments, and local planning. In political infrastructure, key sub-criteria were social participation, market-oriented management, transparent policymaking, political activity integration, active society, knowledge managers, and equality. Cultural infrastructure involved sub-criteria like cultural institutions, cultural diversity, and communication. Lastly, in educational and research infrastructure, expanding and systematizing research capabilities, educational innovation, and triple helix communication (government, private sector, and university) were emphasized, while location infrastructure highlighted location quality, fairness, permeability, and proximity. Among the variables analyzed, the most influential were: market-oriented management from political infrastructure with a direct impact of 408 (ranked first); human capital strengthening from human infrastructure with a direct impact of 400 (ranked second); and knowledge managers and integration of political activities from political infrastructure, both with a direct impact of 361 (ranked third). Additionally, the integration of political activities (political infrastructure) had a direct impact of 361 (fourth place), and social quality from human infrastructure had a direct impact of 356 (fifth place).
Conclusion: The study concluded that political and human infrastructures are the most influential factors in KBUD in Tehran. Drivers like market-oriented management, human capital strengthening, and integration of political activities have a significant impact. Strengthening these drivers can help overcome social barriers and create opportunities despite resource limitations. In a knowledge-based city or region, the government’s focus is on providing the necessary infrastructure for knowledge-based development, which, unfortunately, has not yet been achieved in Tehran. The lack of an integrated approach to knowledge-based urban development is a significant challenge for countries seeking progress but still outside the development loop, and this confusion in urban management is evident in Tehran. In this context, the government’s role in policymaking and developing infrastructure to support knowledge-based activities is crucial. KBUD heavily relies on human intellect, making education and the training of skilled human resources essential. An effective and efficient educational system that continually enhances knowledge at all levels is necessary for this. To realize knowledge-based urban development, in addition to producing and distributing knowledge, it is vital to focus on applying knowledge effectively to expand capacities and improve resource utilization, which is key to creating a knowledge-based city. The expansion and specialization of labor have boosted market efficiency and productivity, driving technological economic growth and increasing the interdependence of people.