Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Series: Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers
Creation-Date: 2013-08-06
Number: 13-110/VIII
Author-Name: Daniel Arribas-Bel
Author-Workplace-Name: VU University Amsterdam
Author-Name: Karima Kourtit
Author-Workplace-Name: VU University Amsterdam
Author-Name: Peter Nijkamp
Author-Workplace-Name: VU University Amsterdam
Title: Socio-cultural Diversity and Urban Buzz
Abstract: Cities have become playing grounds for competitive behaviour and rapid economic dynamics. But in many cities (or urban agglomerations) economic growth is mainly manifested in specific geographic areas, where creative people and innovative entrepreneurs are located. This paper offers first the foundation for analysing the so-called 'urban buzz' and its interlinked primary drivers. The paper will next develop an analytical framework for testing the buzz hypothesis, with a special reference to the importance of social networks in Amsterdam. In our empirical analysis, we use a unique data set on social network connectivity and spatial concentration in a city, based on location-sharing services through the use of Foursquare. Our urban buzz model shows clearly that buzz and socio-economic (cultural) diversity are closely connected phenomena.
Classification-JEL: R1
Keywords: cultural diversity, urban buzz, agglomeration, creativity, piazza, spatial dependence, social networks
File-Url: https://papers.tinbergen.nl/13110.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 365246 bytes
Handle: RePEc:tin:wpaper:20130110