Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
information that can be derived from others in the network, such as in the case of
Healthy Cities, where there are usually some rules for joining and in which common
problems and policies are discussed and which may be stimulated by some outside
agency, such as the WHO in this example. Finally there are the cities that are part of
networks but are essentially passive participants in conferences or networks, such as
national or regional conferences of City Mayors in many countries, where informa-
tion on new practices or problems may be discussed. But no deliberate process of
accumulation of knowledge gained or implementation occurs, although ideas may
subsequently be shared and acted upon by the city.
Campbell (2012) admits that these types are not mutually exclusive, for a city
may at different times use one or more of these approaches. But the classification
does provide a way of showing a gradient of learning effort, from the most active
cities to the most passive. He maintains that one of the best cases of the active learn-
ing city can be seen by the case of Seattle. It experienced an economic downturn
in the 1980s, which led to many layoffs in its major industry, the Boeing aircraft
company. This led many in the city to the conclusion that it would be useful to
study how other cities coped with economic change. The city began its study visits
in 1992 with groups of city officials and businessmen visiting Stuttgart, Amsterdam
and Rotterdam. Initially organized by its Chamber of Commerce, the city and its
region subsequently created a Seattle Trade Development Alliance to manage the
programme, which in subsequent years went to Vietnam and later to Japan and
China and other European cities. This began the process of deliberate learning from
other cities through study missions, annually sending as many as a hundred civic
and business leaders to other cities to observe how various problems were solved
and how new initiatives were developed and implemented. Although some people
may go on successive visits, there is usually an annual sixty per cent turnover, so
that the mission consists of people who have been on a visit and also new ones. This
rolling membership is designed to expose new people in leadership or technical
positions to development patterns in other cities that may provide useful new poli-
cies in Seattle, as well as exchanging views with groups in other cities on a variety
of topics that go beyond business links. The study missions also include the op-
portunity for the participants to build relationships with fellow travellers, helping to
build the social capital between the participants to create the milieu of trust among
decision-makers in Seattle and region. However there is no doubt that the missions
also enable participants to promote the business opportunities available in Seattle to
potential overseas customers, who may import their products, invest in the city, and
to establish personal links between companies that might be subsequently engaged
in business relationships. Although these study missions form the major thrust of
Seattle's learning process, other groups, from its port to various industries and edu-
cational institutions have their own overseas visits, although these are more tightly
confined to their own businesses and functions, rather than being part of the city's
more general and varied learning agenda.
In Europe the former iron and steel manufacturing city of Bilboa has also en-
gaged in a deliberate process of learning to alter its economy from the declining and
polluting industrial base to new ventures and structures, but also with innovative
