The impact of creativity on growth in German regions

The objective of this paper is to analyze the impact of the creative professions - technological employees and bohemians - on economic growth in Germany’s planning regions. It is concluded that technological employees and bohemians foster economic growth. We find that growth is particularly dynamic in agglomerated and urbanized regions. Among regional factors relevant to the location decisions of creative professionals, diversity is analyzed in particular, as it might stimulate growth because of its potential to increase the rate of interchange of different ideas and knowledge. Diversity is therefore a “knowledge production factor." The analysis of both - creative professions and diversity - is related to two current topics in regional economics, namely the knowledge based economy and its effects on city development, and the topic of creative cities.Regional Economic Growth, Creativity, Diversity

The future of the Baltic Sea region: Potentials and challenges

The study analyses the development possibilities of the Baltic Sea region from various perspectives. It deals with the current situation, the potential and the future challenges. Thereby this study puts its focus on trade in the Baltic Sea area, demographic trends, capacity for innovation and the economic impact of the cities in this area. --

Creative professionals and high-skilled agents: Polarization of employment growth?

The creative sector is frequently regarded as one of the driving forces of total employment growth. Empirical studies suggest that the clustering of human capital might result in the polarization of employment growth. Since the creative sector's definition is motivated from the insights of the economics of human capital, this effect might also be relevant to the creative sector. Following these ideas, the objective of the present paper is to analyze the impact of the creative sector on total employment and on creative sector's employment growth in Western Germany's regions from 1977 to 2004. For the analysis, the definitions of the creative sector follow a technologically and culturally oriented definition and, alternatively, Florida's creative class (2002). These approaches focusing on human capital are contrasted with a skill-based approach. Using a fixed-effects panel model with time lags, I find evidence that the creative sector fosters the regional growth rate of total employment. The results show, moreover, that an initially large share of regional creative professionals pushes further the regional concentration of those professions in agglomerated regions. Driving force for the concentration of creative professionals are local amenities, measured by bohemians, and it is assumed that knowledge spillovers - possibly accelerated by the diversified composition of employment - contribute to this polarization. These results are as well confirmed for the high-skilled agents

Creative professionals and high-skilled agents': Polarization of employment growth?

The creative sector is one of the driving forces of total employment growth. Furthermore, economic studies suggest that the clustering of human capital might result in the polarization of economic development. Since the creative sector's de nition is motivated from the insights of the economics of human capital, this e ect might also be relevant to the creative sector. Following these ideas, the objective of the present paper is to analyze the impact of the creative sector on total employment and on creative sector's employment growth in western Germany's regions from 1977 to 2004. For the analysis, the de nitions of the creative sector follow Florida (2002) such as Moeller and Tubadji (2009). However, these approaches focusing on human capital are contrasted with a skill-based approach. It is concluded that the creative sector fosters the regional growth rate of total employment. The results show, moreover, that an initially large share of regional creative professionals pushes further the regional concentration of those professions in agglomerated regions. Driving forces for the concentration are local amenities and knowledge spillovers. These results are as well as con rmed for the high-skilled agents

Creative cities and the concept of diversity

This paper presents a review on theories and empirical studies relevant for the concept of diversity of people in the creative cities literature. The upcoming question enquires which role diversity plays in creative cities. The paper aims to summarize and compare key diversity components considered in research. Based on the review, conclusions are drawn to the attention of policy makers that soft location factors, such as the diversity of people, matter for urban development. --creative cities,diversity of people,urban growth

Hamburg's port position: Hinterland competition in Central Europe from TEN-T corridor ports

This paper aims at analyzing the hinterland position of the German port of Hamburg in Central Europe. As a first step, we identify Koper and Gdansk ports that could act as potential competitors to the German ports, since they exhibit a dynamic development in container throughput over the last five years. As a next step, we compute the contestable economic potential of the hinterland from Hamburg, and from their possible emerging competitors, respectively, by using simple travel time matrices for different transport modes. Afterwards, we analyze the planned infrastructure improvements based on the EU's TEN-T projects. We show how much the economic potential can be increased due to infrastructure improvements, and how this affects the competitive position in hinterland transport. However, besides the hinterland infrastructure there are other determinants relevant for port competition; inter alia the clustering of logistic activities, efficiency of port operations, and liners connectivity

The future of the Baltic Sea region: Potentials and challenges

The study analyses the development possibilities of the Baltic Sea region from various perspectives. It deals with the current situation, the potential and the future challenges. Thereby this study puts its focus on trade in the Baltic Sea area, demographic trends, capacity for innovation and the economic impact of the cities in this area

Zukunft Ostseeraum: Potenziale und Herausforderungen

Die vorliegende Studie analysiert die Entwicklungsperspektiven der Ostseeregion aus unterschiedlichen Blickwinkeln. Sie bildet die Ausgangssituation, die Potenziale, aber auch die zukünftigen Herausforderungen ab. Schwerpunkte der Analyse sind der Handel im Mare Balticum, demografische Trends, die Innovationsfähigkeit der Länder im Ostseeraum und die ökonomische Bedeutung der Ostsee-Städte. --

Zukunft Ostseeraum: Potenziale und Herausforderungen

Die vorliegende Studie analysiert die Entwicklungsperspektiven der Ostseeregion aus unterschiedlichen Blickwinkeln. Sie bildet die Ausgangssituation, die Potenziale, aber auch die zukünftigen Herausforderungen ab. Schwerpunkte der Analyse sind der Handel im Mare Balticum, demografische Trends, die Innovationsfähigkeit der Länder im Ostseeraum und die ökonomische Bedeutung der Ostsee-Städte

Quantifying the Circular Economy in European Regions: a Bridge towards Smart Specialisation?

Circular Economy (CE) aspects are becoming increasingly relevant for a sustainable transition and regional development. Still, a methodology to assess regional performance and interregional differences is exclaimed to be missing at least in the European context. This gap makes it difficult to assess policies and evaluate development patterns. The authors present a methodology to overcome this research gap by including several dimensions of social, environmental, and economic CE aspects. The methodology consists of 29 indicators grouped in six dimensions with data obtained from various data bases. A static and a trend index are calculated to compare European NUTS 2 regions in terms of their current CE status and its development over the last years. The new insights paint a more differentiated picture of regional CE transition highlighting that a segregation is observable not so much between North and South or East and West but more between urban and rural regions. Regarding the practical CE implementation in European regions, the instrument of smart specialisation is discussed