Richard Florida’s Creativity Measures Inadequate

Love Richard Florida for sparking debate [“Why You Should Love Richard Florida”], but hate him for applying equal weight to his measures of “creativity.” What characteristics of a place attract a talented workforce? Opera houses, coffee shops and bike paths? Access to research institutions and job opportunities with innovative, high-paying firms? The former makes a city a cool place to live, but the latter drives economic growth. Will the incubation of the former spur development of the latter? Probably not. I doubt Michael Dell set up shop outside Austin, TX because of proximity to blues clubs and delicious Tex-Mex.

Robert Wolcheski
Washington, DC