ABSTRACT
Chapter map The aim of this chapter is to assess the role of knowledge and skills (or talent) as key factors shaping regional development. In the introduction, we highlight a renewed interest in regional economic development under globalization, focusing attention on the importance of building and attracting knowledge and skills. Section 11.2 examines the relationship between knowledge and the agglomeration of economic activity, and focuses on Michael Porter’s influential theory of industrial clusters. The chapter then turns to discuss Richard Florida’s concept of the creative classes, which was widely adopted by urban and regional policy-makers in the early-to-mid 2000s.
