Analysis of knowledge-based urban development status in three metropolises of Iran by gray relational analysis method (Case study: Tehran, Mashhad and Isfahan)

Introduction and Purpose of the Research:

Cities, as the dominant form of human habitation around the world, remain in direct contact with humans. The urban man of the new age, who sees the world as an integral part of science and knowledge, is influenced by it and influences it. Development in the new age is a complex matter that can only have a forward-looking approach. Knowledge-Based urban development is the basis of the development of progressive cities in the world. The purpose of this study is the criteria and indicators of knowledge-based urban development in the three metropolises of Tehran, Mashhad and Isfahan.

The present study is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical in terms of method. Four criteria and seventeen indicators were extracted from the qualitative content analysis method and after screening by ten experts and theoretical consensus with four criteria and ten indicators were established. Quantitative data were extracted from each metropolis and Gray Relational Analysis method was used to analyze the data.

Findings show that metropolises have growing potentials according to the indicators of knowledge-based urban development and if they pay attention to the main criteria of knowledge-based development, they have the necessary capacity for this.

Tehran metropolis is in the first place, Mashhad metropolis is in the second place and Isfahan metropolis is in the third place.