In this research project Richard Florida’s Creative Capital theory is compared with Human Capital theory, using a cross section of Dutch cities as a sample. Employment growth in Dutch cities can be predicted both from local education levels and from the presence of a large creative class, but especially from the latter. The research project has generated insightful maps on the spread of the Creative Class over the Dutch territory.

Employment growth in Dutch cities can be predicted both from local education levels and from the presence of a large creative class, but especially from the latter. In theory, creativity is not very different from human capital. Nevertheless Florida’s creative class is a better standard to measure human capital then education is.

The relationship between creativity and growth is examined. Cities are the unit of analysis. The research sample is made up by thirty-one so-called Dutch core cities. This sample is based upon number of inhabitants and the city’s regional importance. In the selected cities, the researchers looked for a relationship between first a city’s human capital and employment growth and second between the presence of the creative class and employment growth.

Atlas voor gemeenten
http://www.atlasvoorgemeenten.nl/
Gerard Marlet, tel. 0031302656438

01/10/2004

G. Marlet & C. van Woerkens, Tjalling C. Koopmans Research Institute - Utrecht School of Economics - Utrecht University

research

Urban Policy > Economy knowledge & employment > Urban economy

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