FROM CREATIVE TO SMART CITIES: Sustainability, Livability and the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

In wake of the knowledge-based society not only companies but rather, entire nations, regions and cities compete for talents. While people became more and more mobile the value of locations´ livability emerged to be a key... [ view full abstract ]

In wake of the knowledge-based society not only companies but rather, entire nations, regions and cities compete for talents. While people became more and more mobile the value of locations´ livability emerged to be a key performance indicator for local and regional competitiveness. Consequently, different approaches for shaping locations´ attractiveness have been evolved. Along, the EU Commission recently calls out for a smart city challenge. In this context “smart” means governing cities along a wide set of economic, social and environmental amenities while making authorities more responsive. Across a dataset of the 100 largest cities of Germany in a three-year time period, this paper analyzes whether the “smartness” of city plays a crucial role in making places more competitive in terms of attracting talent and urban entrepreneurship and innovation growth. Our results aim to support scholars and policymakers in developing regional entrepreneurship and innovation agendas.