Title: Innovacities: in search of breakthrough innovations producing world-class performance

Authors: Carlos Scheel

Addresses: EGADE Business School, ITESM, Ave. Fundadores y Rufino Tamayo, Valle Oriente, Garza García, NL, C.P. 66269, México

Abstract: Several studies have identified the key competitive factors of knowledge and creative cities. They have elaborated specific metrics and indicators to be able to provide a comparative assessment of innovation performance in cities, regions and nations. However, few of these studies have analysed the specific reasons why some cities have made a tremendous transition in a specific period of time using a systemic perspective. Through the analysis of a small group of renowned cities, this study examines and identifies the inflection points where the cities made great transformations in terms of world-class performance, and identifies the enabling mechanisms that made the transitions possible, that produced large-scale changes and that created interdependent spaces in which the citizens, the social communities, the businesses and their local natural environments, have become articulated into a harmonious and balanced regional development.

Keywords: innovative cities; breakthrough innovations; economic development; social development; holistic development; innovation metrics; world-class performance; knowledge cities; creative cities; regional development.

DOI: 10.1504/IJKBD.2011.044310

International Journal of Knowledge-Based Development, 2011 Vol.2 No.4, pp.372 - 388

Received: 15 Apr 2011
Accepted: 18 Aug 2011
Published online: 28 Nov 2014 *

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