Title: Moving Esfahan toward knowledge-based urban development: the role of knowledge workers' needs

Authors: Marjaneh Farhangi

Addresses: Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Tehran, Enghelab Sq., Tehran, Iran

Abstract: In the global knowledge economy, knowledge workers are extensively seen as the primary factors to improve the welfare and competitiveness of cities. To attract and retain such industries and workers, cities produce knowledge-based urban development strategies, and therefore such strategising has become an important development mechanism for cities and their economies. This paper aims to contribute to ongoing knowledge-based urban development (KBUD) and KBUD-related discussions that have become more popular in the academic and professional literature around the world, but not yet in Iran. The specific focus of the study is therefore on 'the ways of attracting and retaining knowledge and innovative workers in the knowledge economy by addressing their needs and desires in the contemporary urban context'. It surveys the potentials and constraints of Esfahan to become a knowledge city. The methodology develops a comprehensive investigation and searches for useful ideas for formulating better urban planning theory in the knowledge era. This paper provides an in-depth discussion on the role of urban planning for providing a suitable urban space in cities for attracting knowledge workers during which it has revealed some guiding principles that definitely open up a new horizon for developing the theory and practice of knowledge-based urban development.

Keywords: knowledge workers; worker needs; urban development; urban planning; Esfahan; Iran; global economy; knowledge economies; city welfare; competitiveness; cities; development strategies; innovative workers; innovation; urban contexts; knowledge cities; urban spaces; knowledge-based development.

DOI: 10.1504/IJKBD.2013.052491

International Journal of Knowledge-Based Development, 2013 Vol.4 No.1, pp.19 - 33

Received: 02 Jul 2012
Accepted: 03 Jul 2012
Published online: 31 Mar 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article