IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jknowl/v14y2023i4d10.1007_s13132-022-01088-6.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Spatiality of the Creative Digital Economy: Local Amenities to the Spatial Agglomeration of Creative E-Freelancers in China

Author

Listed:
  • Jinliao He

    (Institute of Urban Development, East China Normal University)

  • Jue Peng

    (Kiel University)

  • Gang Zeng

    (Institute of Urban Development, East China Normal University)

Abstract

The digital transformation of contemporary economy has led to an increasing number of new forms of occupation, such as the creative e-Freelancers. These self-employed individuals, in general, in design-oriented sectors, enjoy a highly flexible mode of business operation regarding their location choice of workplace; which reflects the implications of digital technologies on the spatiality of the creative economy. However, it was observed by recent literature that the space of the creative digital economy has not become more dispersed, but appeared to be another sort of agglomeration economy. In order to unfold the agglomeration mechanism of creative e-Freelancers, and shed further light on the spatial reconstruction process of economic geography in the digital era, the paper at hand empirically investigates the spatiality of creative e-Freelancers in China following an amenity-based approach. The findings suggest that the creative e-Freelancers in China tend to gather in some metropolises, while a strong rebalancing force has been noticed in reshaping the existing urban and economic system. The creative e-Freelancing workforce is significantly driven by local amenities, such as richness of human capital (e.g., college students), entrepreneur-friendly milieu for e-Business, a high quality of life supported by easy accessibility to leisure facilities and public transport, as well as affluent cultural heritages. Some second-rank cities particularly benefit from this phenomenon.

Suggested Citation

  • Jinliao He & Jue Peng & Gang Zeng, 2023. "The Spatiality of the Creative Digital Economy: Local Amenities to the Spatial Agglomeration of Creative E-Freelancers in China," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 14(4), pages 4608-4629, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jknowl:v:14:y:2023:i:4:d:10.1007_s13132-022-01088-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s13132-022-01088-6
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s13132-022-01088-6
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s13132-022-01088-6?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sam Youl Lee & Richard Florida & Zoltan J. Acs, 2008. "Creativity and Entrepreneurship: A Regional Analysis of New Firm Formation," Chapters, in: Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy, chapter 13, pages 171-182, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    2. Christoph Alfken & Tom Broekel & Rolf Sternberg, 2015. "Factors Explaining the Spatial Agglomeration of the Creative Class: Empirical Evidence for German Artists," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(12), pages 2438-2463, December.
    3. Lewis Dijkstra & Enrique Garcilazo & Philip McCann, 2013. "The Economic Performance of European Cities and City Regions: Myths and Realities," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(3), pages 334-354, March.
    4. Jean-Alain Héraud, 2021. "A New Approach of Innovation: from the Knowledge Economy to the Theory of Creativity Applied to Territorial Development," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 12(1), pages 201-217, March.
    5. Jin-Liao He & Hans Gebhardt, 2014. "Space of Creative Industries: A Case Study of Spatial Characteristics of Creative Clusters in Shanghai," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(11), pages 2351-2368, November.
    6. Scott, Allen J., 2010. "Cultural economy and the creative field of the city," MPRA Paper 32108, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Shen, Xiaoxiao & Tsai, Kellee S., 2016. "Institutional Adaptability in China: Local Developmental Models Under Changing Economic Conditions," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 107-127.
    8. Marina Dabic & Vojko Potocan & Zlatko Nedelko, 2017. "Personal values supporting enterprises’ innovations in the creative economy," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 8(4), pages 1241-1261, December.
    9. Evert Meijers & Martijn Burger & Evert J. Meijers & Martijn J. Burger & Marloes M. Hoogerbrugge, 2016. "Borrowing size in networks of cities: City size, network connectivity and metropolitan functions in Europe," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 95(1), pages 181-198, March.
    10. Waltert, Fabian & Schläpfer, Felix, 2010. "Landscape amenities and local development: A review of migration, regional economic and hedonic pricing studies," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(2), pages 141-152, December.
    11. Glaeser, Edward L., 2008. "Cities, Agglomeration, and Spatial Equilibrium," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199290444.
    12. Allen J. Scott & Michael Storper, 2015. "The Nature of Cities: The Scope and Limits of Urban Theory," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(1), pages 1-15, January.
    13. Ron A. Boschma & Michael Fritsch, 2009. "Creative Class and Regional Growth: Empirical Evidence from Seven European Countries," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 85(4), pages 391-423, October.
    14. David B. Audretsch & Maksim Belitski & Julia Korosteleva, 2021. "Cultural diversity and knowledge in explaining entrepreneurship in European cities," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 593-611, February.
    15. Allen J. Scott, 1997. "The Cultural Economy of Cities," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(2), pages 323-339, June.
    16. Bo Wang & Becky P. Y. Loo, 2017. "Hubs of Internet Entrepreneurs: The Emergence of Co-working Offices in Shanghai, China," Journal of Urban Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(3), pages 67-84, July.
    17. Daniyar T. Baitenizov & Igor N. Dubina & David F. J. Campbell & Elias G. Carayannis & Tolkyn A. Azatbek, 2019. "Freelance as a Creative Mode of Self-employment in a New Economy (a Literature Review)," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 10(1), pages 1-17, March.
    18. Neil Lee & Emma Drever, 2013. "The Creative Industries, Creative Occupations and Innovation in London," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(12), pages 1977-1997, December.
    19. Liang Zheng, 2016. "What city amenities matter in attracting smart people?," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 95(2), pages 309-327, June.
    20. Alessandra Faggian & Roberta Comunian & Sarah Jewell & Ursula Kelly, 2013. "Bohemian Graduates in the UK: Disciplines and Location Determinants of Creative Careers," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(2), pages 183-200, February.
    21. Sam Youl Lee & Richard Florida & Gary Gates, 2010. "Innovation, Human Capital, and Creativity," International Review of Public Administration, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(3), pages 13-24, January.
    22. Veronica Scuotto & Massimo Morellato, 2013. "Entrepreneurial Knowledge and Digital Competence: Keys for a Success of Student Entrepreneurship," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 4(3), pages 293-303, September.
    23. Ann Markusen, 2006. "Urban Development and the Politics of a Creative Class: Evidence from a Study of Artists," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 38(10), pages 1921-1940, October.
    24. Stephan J. Goetz & Anil Rupasingha, 2002. "High-Tech Firm Clustering: Implications for Rural Areas," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 84(5), pages 1229-1236.
    25. Timothy R. Wojan & Dayton M. Lambert & David A. McGranahan, 2007. "Emoting with their feet: Bohemian attraction to creative milieu -super-†," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 7(6), pages 711-736, November.
    26. Michael Storper & Allen J. Scott, 2009. "Rethinking human capital, creativity and urban growth," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 9(2), pages 147-167, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Brunow, Stephan & Birkeneder, Antonia & Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés, 2018. "Creative and science-oriented employees and firm-level innovation," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 87588, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Brunow, Stephan & Birkeneder, Antonia & Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés, 2017. "Creative and science oriented employees and firm innovation : a key for smarter cities?," IAB-Discussion Paper 201724, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    3. Aurélie LALANNE & Guillaume POUYANNE, 2012. "Ten years of metropolization in economics: a bibliometric approach (In French)," Cahiers du GREThA (2007-2019) 2012-11, Groupe de Recherche en Economie Théorique et Appliquée (GREThA).
    4. Niusha Esmaeilpoorarabi & Tan Yigitcanlar & Mirko Guaralda, 2016. "Place quality and urban competitiveness symbiosis? A position paper," International Journal of Knowledge-Based Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 7(1), pages 4-21.
    5. Michael Fritsch & Michael Stützer, 2012. "The Geography of Creative People in Germany revisited," Jena Economics Research Papers 2012-065, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena.
    6. Emanuela Marrocu & Raffaele Paci, 2013. "Regional Development and Creativity," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 36(3), pages 354-391, July.
    7. Jan Wedemeier, 2011. "Creative professionals and high-skilled agents': Polarization of employment growth?," ERSA conference papers ersa11p489, European Regional Science Association.
    8. Dandan Wu & Yang Wu & Xinxin Ni & Yuandan Sun & Renfeng Ma, 2022. "The Location and Built Environment of Cultural and Creative Industry in Hangzhou, China: A Spatial Entropy Weight Overlay Method Based on Multi-Source Data," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-22, September.
    9. Kai Zhao & Yuesheng Zhang & Jinkai Zhao & Xiaojing Li, 2020. "Understanding Contributions of the Creative Class to Sustainable Economic Growth in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-21, February.
    10. Eva Coll-Martínez & Josep-Maria Arauzo-Carod, 2017. "Creative milieu and firm location: An empirical appraisal," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 49(7), pages 1613-1641, July.
    11. Kai Zhao & Yuesheng Zhang & Jinkai Zhao, 2020. "Exploring the Complexity of Location Choices of the Creative Class in Europe: Evidence from the EU Labor Force Survey 1995–2010," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-22, February.
    12. Ye Seul Choi & Up Lim, 2015. "Effects of Regional Creative Milieu on Interregional Migration of the Highly Educated in Korea: Evidence from Hierarchical Cross-Classified Linear Modeling," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(12), pages 1-18, December.
    13. Karen M. King, 2011. "Technology, Talent and Tolerance and Inter-regional Migration in Canada," Chapters, in: David Emanuel Andersson & Åke E. Andersson & Charlotta Mellander (ed.), Handbook of Creative Cities, chapter 9, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    14. Fabrizio Montanari & Annachiara Scapolan & Lorenzo Mizzau, 2018. "Embeddedness and locational choices: A study of creative workers in a dance organisation," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 55(5), pages 1121-1138, April.
    15. Copercini Marco, 2016. "Berlin As a Creative Field: Deconstructing the Role of the Urban Context in Creative Production," Quaestiones Geographicae, Sciendo, vol. 35(4), pages 121-132, December.
    16. Paul Vallance, 2015. "Design employment in UK regional economies: Industrial and occupational approaches," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 30(6), pages 650-671, September.
    17. David B. Audretsch & Erik E. Lehmann & Nikolaus Seitz, 2021. "Amenities, subcultures, and entrepreneurship," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 571-591, February.
    18. Coll Martínez, Eva & Arauzo Carod, Josep Maria, 2015. "Creative Industries: a Preliminary Insight to their Location Determinants," Working Papers 2072/250133, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Department of Economics.
    19. Möller Joachim & Tubadji Annie, 2009. "The Creative Class, Bohemians and Local Labor Market Performance: A Micro-data Panel Study for Germany 1975–2004," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 229(2-3), pages 270-291, April.
    20. Niccolò Innocenti & Luciana Lazzeretti, 2018. "Relatedness and growth: The impact of creative industries to the wider economy," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 1819, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Apr 2018.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jknowl:v:14:y:2023:i:4:d:10.1007_s13132-022-01088-6. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.