Name: The new geography of jobs
ISBN: 9780544028050

The new geography of jobs

From the author, an economist, this book is an examination of innovation and success, and where to find them in America. An unprecedented redistribution of jobs, population, and wealth is under way in America, and it is likely to accelerate in the years to come. America's new economic map shows growing differences, not just between people but especially between communities. In this book, the author provides a fresh perspective on the tectonic shifts that are reshaping America's labor market, from globalization and income inequality to immigration and technological progress, and how these shifts are affecting our communities. Drawing on a wealth of new studies, the author uncovers what smart policies may be appropriate to address the social challenges that are arising. We are used to thinking of the United States in dichotomous terms: red versus blue, black versus white, haves versus have-nots. But today there are three Americas.^ At one extreme are the brain hubs, cities like San Francisco, Boston, Austin, and Durham, with a well-educated labor force and a strong innovation sector. Their workers are among the most productive, creative, and best paid on the planet. At the other extreme are cities once dominated by traditional manufacturing, which are declining rapidly, losing jobs and residents. In the middle are a number of cities that could go either way. For the past thirty years, the three Americas have been growing apart at an accelerating rate.

What Hacker News says

davidwSep 2014

There's a great book exploring this: The New Geography of Jobs

http://www.amazon.com/The-Geography-Jobs-Enrico-Moretti/dp/0...

He talks about why things have not gone 'flat'.

thread

davidwMar 2013

> you have the right idea. it's crazy that the internet of all things is supposed to force people to move to a certain place.

It's complicated though: people are still people, and interact with one another on a personal basis in ways that are higher bandwidth and more nuanced than can be done on line. And with lots of people doing stuff in the same place, the potential for cross-pollination and other random things emerging goes up.

This book talks about the issues involved and the economics behind them, at length:

The New Geography of Jobs: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008035HQQ/?tag=dedasys-20

I found it quite interesting.

That said, I did my time in the Bay Area and don't feel like going back.

thread

Resident_GeekDec 2012

> I don't buy the taller buildings = more wealth, creativity and energy argument.

If you haven't read The New Geography of Jobs, I highly recommend it. It gives an excellent explanation of why having a higher density of knowledge workers increases their per-capita productivity and creativity.

thread

davidwJun 2012

I'm actually kind of bored of reading business and tech books. A couple that I've read lately that I've enjoyed are listed below. I'd love to read about what other people have been reading that's sort of "off the beaten path", but interesting to someone who is not an expert in the subject.

The New Geography of Jobs: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008035HQQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?... - a lot of it won't be all that surprising to readers of this site, though. Basically he says that innovation industries are highly concentrated geographically. This is probably not new territory for those who read a lot of economics type of stuff.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000UG9JFQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?... - a book about copy writing. Not great so far, but something I could stand to learn more about. Other recommendations in this vein would be welcome!

Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000W5MINK/ref=as_li_ss_tl?... - in time for the 200th anniversary of the war of 1812. Very interesting, and lots of things I didn't know.

Pacific Crucible: War at Sea in the Pacific, 1941-1942 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005LW5JL2/ref=as_li_ss_tl?... - same author as the above book.

thread

davidwFeb 2020

That's kind of an interesting footnote:

> We are grateful to Enrico Moretti

If I'm not mistaken, that's the same Enrico Moretti who wrote The New Geography of Jobs, which is a fascinating look at the economics of cities that are trying to attract jobs, as well as a paper on how zoning restrictions cost the US economy billions of dollars a year by keeping people out of productive places.

thread

magicbuzzJun 2019

Interesting to contrast this with the current HN article link to the Washingtonian about Amazon choosing Virginia for the HQ2 location. That article references Moretti’s “The New Geography of Jobs” - companies now seek human capital rather than accumulating physical capital.

thread