SA Cities in the Digital, Knowledge Economy

1
SA Cities in the Digital, Knowledge Economy

• Key questions for strategy
• Luci Abrahams
• Director, LINK Centre

2
Features of -The Information Society

• Informational power of society
• Rapid technological, institutional, economic and
  social change
• Growing digital divide (national/international) -
  agenda for action ?
• Increasingly business, government and development
  sectors supported by innovations in ICTs

3
Features of - The Network Knowledge Economy

• Strong emphasis on innovation RD, inventions,
  technology transfer, knowledge exchange,
  commercialisation, business development
• Mediated by ICTs telecommunications network is
  the backbone
• High value of specialist and new knowledge -
  (research, publications, patents, licences,
  prototypes)
• Increasingly competitive environment for
  graduates and professionals - new knowledge as a
  scarce resource

4
Features of - The Innovation Society

• Focus on global competitiveness of economies
• Competitiveness of firms, industries, government,
  universities, all institutions
• Key drivers - RD networks, technology transfer
  networks, innovation networks, human capital
• Therefore - tacit knowledge, skills, experience,
  ideas, knowledge clusters networks

5
Features of - cities and the knowledge economy

• Global and/or regional hubs for financial and
  business services, RD and hi-tech innovation
• High ICT investments in institutions incentives
  to attract knowledge and skills
• Better synergies between government industry at
  all levels of economy ito policy formulation,
  strategy, planning, policy implementation
• But, increasing marginalisation of urban and
  rural poor - increasing social exclusion

6
A tale of three cities?

• London - international financial capital with a
  strong ICT and knowledge base, poor public
  services
• Singapore - high and relatively stable growth
  based on use of hi-tech applications and human
  knowledge capital, effective electronic
  government and services to citizens
• Honolulu - working to find a niche in the
  digital, knowledge economy

7
South African context - some issues

• Early Stage Micro Economic Strategy Design
  (1990s)
• White Paper on Science Technology
• Telecommunications Act, 1996
• NRTF FORESIGHT
• SAITIS - SA IT Industry Strategy

8
South African context - some issues

• 2000 - 2014
• DTI Vision 2014 Integrated Manufacturing and
  Industrial Strategy www.dti.gov.za
• Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics Technology
  Strategy 2014 www.naci.org.za (see diagramme on
  next page)

9
Impact on selected industry sector or focus
area (NACI/CSIR)
10
South African Context - some issues

• Department of Science and Technology National
  RD Strategy www.dst.gov.za
• National Biotechnology Strategy for SA
• Science Technology and Sustainable Development
  Conference
• GODISA (SMME techno support)
• In discussion -
• PNC - ISAD www.pnc.gov.za
• E-Government strategy www.dpsa.gov.za
• e-strategy task team www.doc.gov.za

11
Challenges for cities in South Africa -
objectives

• Operate at full potential and make an optimum
  contribution to overall national performance
  (social, economic, cultural and environmental
  well-being and prosperity) in the long term
• Extend their contribution to the generation and
  preservation of the nations stock of knowledge
  and human capital and
• Strengthen their capacity to engage in and
  benefit from global developments and
  opportunities, and to respond to global and local
  challenges.

12
Challenges for cities

• Economic competition
• Urban and rural development
• Developing beneficial partnerships
• Managing resources
• Democracy and social inclusion

13
Key questions for SACN

• 1. What role can cities play in positioning South
  Africa in the global economic environment?
• 2. What policy response is required to support
  cities in the digital, knowledge economy and who
  will be responsible for developing it?
• 3. How can South African cities work to combat
  the global trend of increasing inequality within
  cities?

14
Key questions for SACN

• 4. How can cities make use of ICT to enhance
  employment opportunities for the majority whilst
  at the same time supporting the high level
  financial services, manufacturing and tourism
  needed to remain globally competitive?
• 5. Should South Africa take a network approach to
  the development of cities to ensure that all
  South African cities are part of the network,
  with major centres being the link to the global
  environment?

15
Key questions for SACN

• 6. How can cities facilitate the development of
  human resources so fundamental to an information
  society and knowledge economy? And what
  relationships should cities have with
  universities builders of human capital and
  potential centres for RD and technology
  innovation?
• 7. How can cities make use of the potential of
  ICTs to strengthen the information and knowledge
  systems of the urban poor and improve public
  services?

16
Key questions for SACN

• 8. What changes would be required within city
  management structures to ensure that ICT
  applications and building human capital for the
  knowledge economy becomes integrated into all
  areas of functioning?
• 9. How can government structures work in
  partnership with the private sector to develop
  the infrastructure required at the city level to
  ensure the inclusion of all citizens?

17
ICTs, knowledge building, policy regulation
relates to all SACN focus areas

• Economic Development
• Urban policy
• HIV/AIDS
• Urban indicators
• Transport

18
Strategy process frame

• Position paper
• Research study Positioning SA cities in the
  Digital, Knowledge Economy
• Scenarios and Strategy Design Phase
• Case study writing for learning network