David B. Zellmer (2001)Conducted in The Knowledgeable City:A Networked, Knowledge-Based Strategy for Local Governance and Urban Development Conducteded is ICT-based information systems can however usefully support local knowledge networking, not only within the economic sphere, but within social, cultural and civic dimensions of the city as well. The recent advent of the WWW, a “unified global information universe,” (Berner-Lee et all. 1992) has fundamentally transformed the valuation of information (i.e. the more information is used, the more valuable it becomes) and provides the technical means for all citizens to take part the interconnected knowledge networks of the city. Ultimately, this can lead to wider, more organic involvement by citizens in urban governance and in defining urban development in ways that benefit all stakeholders of the knowledgeable city.
The vision of urban governance presented here will not happen without forethought and effort, but it is possible and, I believe, necessary if we wish to address the problems facing cities of the 21st century: increasing inequality and insecurity, social fragmentation, isolation and 89 exclusion, thoughtless damaging of the environment and environmental injustice. These are not new problems, but the context is changing. New tools and capacities are available to leverage the unique knowledge resources of our cities, thereby interactively influencing and shaping both threats and opportunities that arise. It is for us, as active, knowledgeable citizens and leaders, to act to improve the conditions of and within our cities.