I'm thrilled to announce that Richard Florida has been appointed to our Research Advisory Council. Best known for his landmark 2002 book, The Rise of the Creative Class, Florida introduced the concept of the “creative class” as an economic tour de force which can reshape how companies, communities and people survive and prosper in uncertain times. His research, based on various demographic indicators and economic trends, has provided a unique, data-driven approach to informing the social, economic and demographic factors that drive our 21st century world economy.
Recently named one the "Best and Brightest" in America by Esquire magazine, Florida is a professor of business and creativity at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management and also directs the Martin Prosperity Institute – a global think-tank on the role that sub-national factors (i.e. location, place and city-regions) play in global economic prosperity. Through an integrated lens that looks beyond economic measures to include the importance of quality of place and the development of people’s creative potential, the Institute is shaping a global debate about economic prosperity that is informing many public, private and civic decision-making bodies.
His latest book, Who’s Your City?, posits that the creative economy is making where you live the most important decision of your life. The world is not flat but “spiky,” he argues, as today’s key economic indicators—talent, innovation and creativity-- are concentrated in strategic areas, not spread out evenly across the world. By investing in technology, emphasizing the talent already in place, and creating a good atmosphere for people of all walks of life, Florida says regional economies can change the way they do business and transform their economies.
“Today, economic value is driven by our knowledge, synthesis and creativity rather than manufacturing. The world desperately needs new social and economic models and the Business Innovation Factory is paving the way for the exploration and testing of new and innovative business models. I’m looking forward to joining their collaborative effort." ~ Richard Florida
We're privileged to welcome Richard to BIF’s Research Advisory Council. We share a common view of what community innovation capacity must really look like. With his expertise on cities and the global economy as well as his perspectives on place power, I know he will add tremendous value to BIF and its mission to enable collaborative innovation.
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