ABSTRACT
As discussed in Chapter 2, the common strategies for constructing successful knowledge cities focus on enhancing the research excellence of universities and other higher education institutions as well as R&D organisations by attracting both knowledge-intensive firms and creative and innovative individuals to the cityregion, using many channels to brand a city as a knowledge city, enhancing the quality of place, securing fast transport connections and advanced communication networks, and working towards developing the international and multicultural character of the city – and all this is dependent on specific leadership relays aiming to accomplish specific objectives that again calls for political and societal will, strategic vision and dynamic long-term strategic planning, agencies that are dedicated to the promotion of knowledge city-related processes, strong financial support, partnership and strategic investments, and value creation for citizens that comprises skill development, employment and social outcomes (Carrillo, 2006; Landry, 2006; Yigitcanlar et al., 2007; Carrillo et al., 2014). Knowledge city strategies may focus on many things, and it is quite often stressed that these development efforts ought to be comprehensive in nature. It also is believed that the effective and collective promotion of city development requires influence networks capable of articulating visions of different futures, and also of transforming “blue-sky thinking” into focused strategies and collective action. Existing social filters ought to be penetrated and shared beliefs constructed to guide the collective action, and this is attempted with the help of local and/or regional strategies and shared visions (Valdaliso and Wilson, 2015). In other words, it is hoped that city strategies and shared visions would not only guide city governments but also more broadly the influence networks with the maximum number of local/regional/national actors, either directly or indirectly.
