ABSTRACT
Dortmund is situated in the state of North-Rhine Westphalia and is the economic and cultural capital of the Westphalia region. Most of Dortmund's cross-border economic activities are orientated as much towards the smaller towns in the more rural east, e.g. Unna and Hamm, as they are towards the cities of Bochum and Hagen, which are also close to Dortmund. This chapter explores the knowledge economy strategies of Dortmund. It analyses the foundations of the knowledge economy for Dortmund. They include the knowledge base, the economic base, the quality of life, the accessibility, the urban diversity, the urban scale, and the social equity in the city. The chapter discusses Dortmund's knowledge economy activities. It explains how well the city (and the actors in it) manages to: attract and retain talented people; create new knowledge; apply new knowledge and make new combinations; and develop new growth clusters. The chapter contains conclusions and unfolds perspectives for Dortmund's position in the emerging knowledge economy.
