Authenticity is one of those qualities that is hard to define, but you know it when you see it – or feel it. We’re going to explore its meaning and its application to places this week with James Gilmore and Scott Russell Sanders.
Jim Gilmore is the man who, with his partner Joe Pine, introduced the idea of The Experience Economy. Now, Jim believes the next big idea for business is authenticity. And he believes the same may be true for cities. Jim and Joe run the business consultancy, Strategic Horizons and he is a Batten Fellow at The Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Virginia.
From his vantage point as a writer and Distinguished Professor of English at Indiana University, Scott Russell Sanders has challenged the “brand and bland” direction of our communities and urges us to re-discover what makes each one special. Scott’s latest book is A Private History of Awe, which is a coming-of-age memoir, love story, and spiritual testament.
Smart City is a syndicated, weekly hour-long public radio talk show that takes an in-depth look at urban life: the people, places, ideas and trends that affect us all. Host Carol Coletta talks with national and international public policy experts, economists, business leaders, artists, developers, planners and others on the pulse of city life for a penetrating discussion on urban issues.
In Memphis, Smart City is broadcast on WKNO FM, 91.1, at 9 a.m. Sundays. It is also webcast and podcast at the Smart City website, which also has a listing of broadcast times in other cities and the sign up for a weekly newsletter.
