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THE CREATIVE CLASS AND SOCIAL CAPITAL - civil society, regional development and high-tech employment in Japan

Author

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  • Westlund, Hans

    (KTH and JIBS)

  • Calidoni-Lundberg, Federica

    (Swedish Institute for Growth Policy Studies)

Abstract

Do the social and cultural environments have any impact on regional development, expressed in terms of e.g. entrepreneurship, innovations and growth of new industries? A rapidly increasing field of research has found many indications on that such an impact of the civil society exists. In the literature, two partly contradicting hypotheses can be discerned: 1. Florida’s hypothesis, saying that a heterogeneous civil society with diverse values combined with tolerance is influencing regional growth in a positive way, and 2. Putnam’s hypothesis, saying that a homogenous civil society with common norms and values and trust between its citizens is having a positive impact on regional development.This paper studies the validity of these two hypotheses on the current regional development in Japan,measured in four alternative ways: population growth, the high-tech sector’s and high-tech services’ regional distribution, and the net growth of enterprises. As determining variables, we use data from the Japanese General Social Surveys’ International Comparative Survey on Values and Behavioral Patterns, Non-Profit Organizations per capita and share of the population being born abroad, plus control variables in the form of market accessibility and human capital. On detailed regional level (46 prefectures) the analysis does not give any significant support to any of the civil society hypotheses. However, on large-region level (8 regions) the civil society measure gives a significant result for high-tech industry and services.

Suggested Citation

  • Westlund, Hans & Calidoni-Lundberg, Federica, 2007. "THE CREATIVE CLASS AND SOCIAL CAPITAL - civil society, regional development and high-tech employment in Japan," Working Paper Series in Economics and Institutions of Innovation 112, Royal Institute of Technology, CESIS - Centre of Excellence for Science and Innovation Studies.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:cesisp:0112
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Tubadji, Annie & Nijkamp, Peter, 2016. "Impact of Intangible Cultural Capital on Regional Economic Development: A Study on Culture-Based Development in Greece," Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy, Mid-Continent Regional Science Association, vol. 46(1).
    2. Alexander Tatarko, 2012. "Are Individual Value Orientations Related to Socio-Psychological Capital? A Comparative Analysis Data from Three Ethnic Groups in Russia," HSE Working papers WP BRP 03/PSY/2012, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    3. Neira, I. & Portela, M. & Vieira, E., 2010. "Social Capital and growth in European regions," Regional and Sectoral Economic Studies, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 10(2).
    4. Roel Rutten & John Gelissen, 2009. "Social Values and the Economic Development of Regions," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(6), pages 921-939, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Regional development; Social capital; Creative class; Civil society; Japan; High-tech industry;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)

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