Economic Intelligence For Cities: Strategies And Pitfalls

Why cities need economic intelligence. The economies of Europe’s cities are changing fast, and it is not easy to predict which segments of the local economy will grow and which ones will decline. Yet, cities must make decisions as to where to invest, and face a number of questions that are difficult to answer: Where do we put our bets?

Should we go for biotech, ICT, or any other sector that may have growth potential? Do we want to attract large foreign companies,or rather support our local indigenous smaller firms, or must we promote the start-up scene?Or is it better not to go for any particular industry but just improve the quality of life in the city, hoping that this will help to retain skilled people and attract high tech firms?