The city in the information and communication technology age: a comparative study on path dependency

The role of the city in the modem electronic age is rapidly changing. Cities are no longer closed islands of local opportunities, but are open nodal points in a global network environment. The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has lifted the traditional physical - geographical constraints which kept cities imprisoned since the early genesis of modem cities. More openness means also more actors in the global economic playing field, so that cities tend to become increasingly competitors of each other. In such a competitive game between cities the success conditions are largely determined by the adjustment potential, and the flexibility and resilience of several stakeholders in urban life. The paper analyses the causes and implications of urban path dependency and tries to offer an analytical framework through which actual developments in various cities can systematically be mapped out. The paper proceeds then - by way of a comparative contrast analysis -with an empirical investigation of two dynamic cities, Berlin and Amsterdam. Based on extensive field work, an attempt is finally made to offer clear policy conclusions and recommendations for urban ICTpolicy.