Does physical location matter in today's economy?
Does where you live, and where your company is headquartered, matter economically for both your work organization and for you? Enrico Moretti, author of The New Geography of Jobs, says yes. We're skeptical. Our initial reaction: he's wrong.
Here's what Moretti writes, "Where you live matters more than ever. Whether you work inside or outside the innovation sector, whether you are self-employed or work for others, where you live greatly affects all aspects of your life, from your career to your finances, from the kind of people you meet to the values your children are exposed to."
He dismisses telecommuting as "incredibly rare," without citing any statistics to counter the data that telework is growing each year. He dismisses cities like Cleveland and Milwaukee, that while overall are clearly rust belt, nevertheless having growing downtown hubs of urban professionals. What do you think?
Moon over Minneapolis. LERN staff from five states met in our annual retreat in this 21st century. Moretti and NineShift both agree Minneapolis a 21st century city.