Innovative and Conservative Cities: How Can We Avoid Getting Stuck with Outdated Technologies?

Abstract

The study focused on major Russian cities that differ in the pace and outcomes of technological modernization in large-scale multi-family housing construction. The subject of the study is the phenomenon of “technological stagnation,” manifested in the institutionally entrenched preservation of outdated construction technologies despite the availability of alternatives. The aim of this work is to identify local factors in the urban environment that can either accelerate or hinder the transition to new technological paradigms. The study addresses the tasks of identifying innovative and conservative cities, testing the “triangle” hypothesis of factors (entrepreneurial environment—universities—urban environment), and developing local algorithms to overcome technological inertia. It is shown that the technological leadership of cities is linked not so much to the structure of the economy as to the competitiveness of the local housing construction market, the institutional openness of the authorities toward entrepreneurship, and the active role of universities as actors in urban development. The study concludes that the local level plays a significant role in unlocking technological modernization in the country.