The idea economy should be good for equality of opportunity. The key assets are human, social and cultural and are created by people. The constraints are not set by a city's size, its population, or its raw materials.

So why are successful cities becoming more successful, leaving lagging cities ever farther behind?

That a question we'll ask our guests, Charles Leadbeater and Jeremy Kelly.

Charles Leadbeater is a London-based writer and adviser to leading companies on innovation, entrepreneurship and the knowledge economy. He is senior research associate with the think-tank Demos and a consultant with Ideo.

Jeremy Kelly has been studying the cities that he calls "rising urban stars" for Jones Lang LaSalle in the UK. His research on which cities are rising and why is the subject of much interest and debate among real estate investors worldwide.

We'll talk to Charles Leadbeater and Jeremy Kelly on "Smart City."