One Creative Class Does Not Fit All! A Case Study of a Belgian Region

Abstract

Creativity and innovation are vital components for organisations and cities to thrive. Richard Florida proposed a framework for regional development, putting creative individuals (the ‘Creative Class’)  at the centre and linking them with three key elements for success, namely talent, technology and tolerance (the 3Ts).
Used by policymakers around the world to develop their regional strategy, the importance of this group of creative individuals cannot be underestimated. Understanding them will help attracting them, which will contribute to regional development. However, knowledge on their characteristics, differences, and perceptions is lacking.
Therefore, this study researches the Creative Class, gathering insights on their backgrounds and asking about their satisfaction and perceptions of the 3Ts. Through an online survey in Qualtrics targeting people working in creative occupations in Limburg, Belgium, this study examines possible correlations between intrapreneurship, satisfaction with the job or region and the 3Ts using Spearman’s rank-order correlation. Next, this research offers new insights into how different demographic and professional subgroups perceive the 3Ts through running T-tests, ANOVA and their non-parametric equivalents. All analyses were run in SPSS. Quantitative analyses reveal correlations and differences in personal and work contexts linked to differences in perceptions of the 3Ts. Through this comprehensive analysis, a deeper understanding of the interplay between creativity, personal backgrounds, and individual perceptions of the expanded 3T model is achieved.
 The results highlight the importance of measuring the 3Ts through personal perceptions, revealing distinct differences within the Creative Class. Acknowledging the diversity of the Creative Class, this research aims to show how individual backgrounds and job context may shape perceptions of the expanded 3T framework. By showing their impact on the 3Ts, this study emphasises the value of incorporating personal and work context measures when examining the Creative Class.