The public knowledge challenge: where the management of cities and businesses converge towards creativity, innovation and prosperity

Abstract

The creative and innovative power of cities and regions is of decisive importance in materialising the knowledge-based economy on such a scale, that it will ultimately have a positive impact on the prosperity of citizens (Grotenhuis 2007, Van Winden et al. 2007, Florida 2005). Similar to what usually confronts businesses, cities and regions are faced with a global competition for talent, as is generally reflected in the form of a race between cities and regions that strive to be as attractive as possible for talented, on average highly educated, and creative workers (Hospers 2003, Florida 2005, Malecki 2001). Knowledge will likely further increase in importance, but it is not yet clear how knowledge can be put to practical use in cities and regions, how it can or should be managed in the context of an appropriate democratic structure and to what extent measurable economic and societal effects occur, especially amidst the clustering of knowledge industries in supra-regional and supra-national economic mega-regions. The knowledge challenge is where cities and businesses converge into a clear, but as yet not explored, shared interest: (creative) businesses locate where (creative) human capital is present (Florida 2005). Participation of creative citizens – both individual as well as company citizens and civil organisations – in the governance of a city is imperative. The concept of the knowledge democracy, and more specifically the way in which the democratic knowledge potential of cities is used through collaborative learning processes, can be further developed by transdisciplinary research into knowledge management policies and practices from business management (Tissen and Van Rijn 2007).