Summer 2011 Knowledge Society Forum – Dresden

The City of Dresden is hosting the Summer 2011 Knowledge Society Forum from 20-21 June on the theme of “Reorganisation and Knowledge Management in cities – the hidden profit of implementing the EU services directive.”

This conference will highlight the potential of the EU Services Directive and related changes in the front and back-office of city administrations as a driver of process reorganization and knowledge management in municipal administrations.

Knowledge management aims at building organizational intelligence to improve performance. Collectively city administrations have the knowledge to support ongoing improvement across their various responsibilities and roles. Intelligent Knowledge Management, assisted by ICT, helps people tap into this knowledge. It gives people the tools to improve the way they capture, share and use knowledge. It reveals what works and helps people build on experience to ensure better practice, public services, strategy and policy.

The EU Services Directive[1] aims to open up the European internal market to cross-border trade in services by making it easier for service providers to set up business or offer their services in other EU countries. Effects of the EU Services Directive are likely to be felt by every city across Europe. The following are examples of services covered by the Directive.

  • the activities of most of the regulated professions
  • business-related services (such as office maintenance, management consultancy, the organization of events, recovery of debts, advertising and recruitment services)
  • services in the field of tourism
  • building construction and maintenance services
  • services comprising the installation and maintenance of • industrial or commercial equipment
  • information services
  • accommodation and food services (such as hotels, restaurants, catering services)
  • real estate services

The implementation of the EU Services Directive is currently ongoing across Europe, and local authorities are adapting their front-office services and the organization of their back-office administration.

Registration is Online here.

The Smart Cities working group of the Eurocities KSF will be meeting as part of this event.