“Without cognitive deconstruction and analysis, cultural events, knowledge products, and intellectual achievements run the risk of being reified to little more than signifiers of a market economy.“
We may underestimate the role of culture in the effective development of societies and cities. On the individual level, the impact of cultural expressions is often crystal clear. Sergei Polunin’s famous interpretation of Take me to church, for instance, is creating a life-long fascination for ballet in my young son. On any other level, alas, the impact of culture is more opaque. When positioned within a framework, however, cultural development can go beyond a series of symbolic events and gain systematic importance in the development of smarter cities.
In their paper The Triple-Helix Model of Smart Cities: A Neo-Evolutionary Perspective, authors Loet Leydesdorff and Mark Deakin propose the triple helix model as this framework. I first became aware of the work of Loet Leydesdorff when I heard him referenced at a culture and innovation conference. As he is also my father in law, I have been especially keen on studying and understanding his work, which regularly relates to my work and interests.
The triple helix model of innovation refers to a set of interactions between academia, industry, and governments, to foster economic and social development (says Wikipedia). The model goes beyond simple market dynamics. Instead of the market, communities of policymakers, academic leaders, and corporate strategists are the drivers of innovation. When these communities are successful, they can help cities to become smarter.
Thus, to develop smarter cities, policymakers need to create the conditions that enable communities of different people to be successful.
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