What Attracts Knowledge Workers? : Generating a Community Infrastructure for t... - The Diigo Meta page

• 08 Jun 07
  

  Wisely

  jobs politics work

  • The attributes

     

    of a community that attracts highly talented “creative workers” center around quality of life

     

    issues, psychological wants and needs, and “brand.”
  • This discussion concludes with a set of practical action steps communities can take to

     

    develop the kind of “social capital” infrastructure they will need to make themselves

     

    attractive to the emerging economic resource of talented knowledge workers.
  • The challenge facing every community and region today is how to adapt to the new global

     

    economy that depends on knowledge, creativity, and innovation. It is becoming increasingly

     

    clear that the key to a thriving innovation-based economy is talent – knowledge workers and

     

    professionals.
  • knowledge workers are the engine of

     

    the information- and innovation-based economy; they are the “creative class” in Richard

     

    Florida’s language.
  • first and foremost knowledge workers value self-control and autonomy.
  • they view their careers and their personal life as something they want to plan and take care

     

    of on their own
  • knowledge workers also want to be part of strong communities that meet their other

     

    personal interests and needs.
  • The short answer to the question of attraction is community. Although the physical attributes

     

    (weather, recreational opportunities, cleanliness, livability) of a region are important, the

     

    equation is far more complicated than that. It is, frankly, about the psychology of the region. We

     

    are convinced that you can have all the roads, schools, airports, business services, Internet

     

    access, and hospitals you want, but if you don’t have a meaningful sense of community you

     

    won’t see much in-migration.
  • what will knowledge workers have to be good at to thrive in the emerging global

     

    economy?
  • Our hypothesis is that they will be attracted to communities that offer them an experience of

     

    what they have to be competent at.
  • Meaning
  • Meaning
  • the aesthetic quality of a thing
  • Design is
  • Story is not just argument; it is the compelling narrative.
  • Does the community have a strong understanding of its own history and build

     

    that history into current events and institutions?
  • Symphony is not just focus; but variation, interweaving of things
  • Empathy is not just logic; it is about caring for others
  • Play is not just seriousness; it is humor, lightheartedness, and games
  • s about purpose,

     

    transformation, and spiritual fulfillment.
  • The

     

    amount of ethnic, religious, and social diversity are good indicators of how much potential

     

    variety exists in a community. Knowledge workers are attracted to regions that have these kinds

     

    of variety. Conversely, they are generally not attracted to highly homogenous communities

     

    because they don’t find the amount of social stimulation they are looking for
  • Story is not just about the performing arts. It’s also about a community’s sense of history

     

    and connections with its past and its roots. A community that offers its residents well-preserved

     

    (but updated) buildings and a strong sense of neighborhoods that include people of all ages is a

     

    community filled with stories
  • Symphony, or the ability for members of the community to interact, translates into civic

     

    involvement. Political, professional, and civic associations (i.e., Kiwanis, Masons, Elks, etc.)

     

    show how involved residents are in local activities.
  • Social action programs like help for the homeless, Habitat for Humanity, gay and lesbian

     

    support groups, and proactive environmental programs are additional examples of a

     

    community’s empathy for its members, and of its openness, inclusiveness, and tolerance of

     

    diversity.
  • Recreational variety is a key ingredient for a well-rounded life for knowledge workers, no

     

    matter what their age. Outdoor venues like skiing, boating, biking, and hunting (and their indoor

     

    counterparts) are as important as, and often much more important than, spectator sports.
  • Institutions that generate meaning are another critical variable, especially for

     

    young families and older groups who “want to give something back.” In the United States today

     

    this theme translates roughly into the number and (especially) the variety of faith-based

     

    organizations that are active in the community. Organized churches, places of worship, active

     

    philanthropic organizations, and other volunteer groups all help provide people with deeper

     

    meaning in their lives.
  • Gardner’s framework for community
  • The questions we encourage a community to ask itself are:

     

    1. Do the people in our community share a similar purpose for living here?
  • 2. Is our community highly diverse in its cultural and ethnic makeup? Do we practice an

     

    openness that allows all of us to question assumptions?
  • 3. Is teamwork among our community members very important and valued?
  • 4. Are people in our community recognized publicly for their contributions?
  • 5. Does everyone in our community communicate well with each other?
  • 6. Does our community have a distinct and unique identity? Is there local pride in what we

     

    do and represent?
  • 7. Is our community connected economically and politically with others in our region? Do

     

    we play an active leadership role in developing the region politically, economically, and

     

    environmentally?
  • 8. Do we welcome new members to our community, even when they come from different

     

    backgrounds and have different lifestyles?
  • 9. Do we believe in the “equal rights” of all our residents to transportation, education, clean

     

    air, and public spaces?
  • 10. How easily does our community resolve conflicts among our members?
  • 11. Do our residents invest time and energy to develop the community? To improve our

     

    schools? To ensure a sustainable environment?
  • 12. Do we have adequate resources in our community to help it thrive?
  • 13. Are we constantly seeking to “push the envelope” and striving to become a better, more

     

    interesting place? Do we support and encourage innovation in both our public and our

     

    commercial enterprises?
  • Social and ethnic diversity exists to some degree in most communities. But it is often hidden

     

    within the larger context of the dominant culture. Community leaders should spend time and

     

    effort helping minority groups within the community organize themselves.
  • how do local

     

    residents (and others as well) know what’s going on, and what’s available? More is needed than

     

    the pole with all the Kiwanis and Elks Club signs on it alongside the main road leading into

     

    town. In today’s world the more effective way to broadcast and promote civic involvement is via

     

    the Internet and Worldwide Web. A professionally-designed and -maintained civic website is a

     

    good way to get started.
  • See http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR650/mr650.ch5/ch5.html for a good

     

    example of this kind of effort.

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