E-governance in cities: A comparison of urban ICT policies

Throughout Europe, urban information and communication technology (ICT) policies are becoming more significant. Using examples from various cities, this paper describes and analyses the local manifestation and dynamics of the information society. In a conceptual framework, we make a distinction between three interdependent types of "footprints' of ICTs in urban areas: access, content, and infrastructure. For each of these dimensions, we describe and compare current urban ICT policies. We focus on the way local governments involve other urban actors in the design and implementation of ICT policies. Although cities feel the need to engage in new types of strategic partnerships, they are struggling to find appropriate partnership models.