Can We Sustain A 'Creative Class'?
16 July 2005
In 2002 Richard Florida wrote what became a popular and
influential book, 'The Rise of the Creative Class'. In that book he
described how 30 per cent of the workforce, the 'creative class'
was redefining the world economy. Their talents determine which
companies will prosper and which regions will thrive.
Florida has become one of the most convincing authors in
defining the knowledge economy that is transforming our world. He
elaborated the three Ts that underpin economic growth: Technology,
Talent, Tolerance, because wherever they co-exist there is clear
evidence of economic advancement of those regions.
In his very recently published new book 'The Flight of the
Creative Class' he examines why the US is in danger of losing its
status as the world's greatest talent magnet, a phenomenon on which
much of the US economic advances had relied throughout the
twentieth century.
There are now many places competing for creative class talent
throughout the world, at a time when the US is becoming more
security conscious and less liberal, for example, with its
immigration policy and particularly in relation to university
students who he sees as the 'leading indicator of global talent
flows'.
His research data indicate that other countries now have higher
proportions of their populations in the creative class, including
places like Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the
Netherlands.
Sydney is Australia's leading contender in attracting the
creative class because of its high rating on the 3Ts. Brisbane also
gets a mention as a region on the ascendency. It is easy to see why
South East Queensland and Brisbane are climbing the international
attractiveness scale for creative classes when the current Smart
State publications and strategies are examined.
In the latest 'Smart Queensland' Strategy for 2005-2015 there is
reference to many funded initiatives to encourage the growth of
Florida's 'creative class' and thereby create Smart Queensland
regions.
Florida maintains that every leading creative region worldwide
has at least one or more great university. That universities are
recognised as the intellectual hub of the creative economy is also
evident in the references to them in the Smart State
publications.
Florida stresses that universities are the sources of much of
our best research and creative leadership, and are also capable of
opening up regions to the world. Universities need regional
investment, more than 'a stadium, downtown mall, industrial park…'
because although the latter provide immediate, tangible benefits,
they are not the foundations for the 'creative age', as are
universities.
So much can be accomplished on the Sunshine Coast if as a whole
region we work in concert with one another on a regional economic
agenda. The University, business, and Councils working together on
one plan, that may have different stages, consideration of
different locations and networks, so that everyone is singing the
same tune, is essential.
Much has been accomplished in recent years to achieve a greater
degree of regional planning, both by the State Government and local
governments through SunROC, and the Coast will be a beneficiary.
There remains a good deal of work to be done, to ensure the Smart
State Strategy, the Regional Economic Development Blueprint, the
SunROC regional Economic Development Plan and Knowledge Economy
Plan, the Innovation Centre Sunshine Coast's plans, and the plans
of individual Councils and other organisations complement one
another. If there are competing, contradictory or parallel
strategies developed we will likely dissipate our collective
energies and strengths.
If this were to happen we put at risk the potential for the
Coast and the University to become great, together, in the
twenty-first century.
In turn that will mean that our economic infrastructure will be
insufficiently developed and quality of life will be compromised in
the face of population growth and the urgent need for new jobs.
We have an important opportunity to marshal our regional
strengths and develop a smart regional economy because we possess
some of the key characteristics that Richard Florida's research
pinpoints. Let's hope we don't squander the opportunity to develop
one regional economic plan.
Professor Paul Thomas is Vice-Chancellor of University of
the Sunshine Coast