A Vision of the Next Economy: from macro to metro

LSE Works, a lecture series sponsored by SAGE, had its final instalment on Thursday, March 24, 2011. The series has drawn attention to the recent findings of LSE’s Research Centres in an effort to enhance the impact of research on policy making. Offering an opportunity for discourse on various findings, these lecture events were free to the general public.

Professor Ricky Burdett, professor of urban studies at LSE and director of LSE Cities, gave the final lecture on campus at The Hong Kong Theatre at Clement House to a crowd of 124. Following Professor Burdett’s discussion, Bruce Katz, who is Vice President of the Brookings Institution and Founding Director of the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program, gave response. Katz is currently a visiting professor of social policy at LSE.

In his lecture, Professor Burdett spoke about the important factors that have contributed to the resilience of several cities in the past in facing economic decline. Four case examples (including Turin, Barcelona, Munich, and Seoul) were discussed, and Professor Burdett emphasised the presence of an active, aligned, and intentional government, in addition to investments in the knowledge economy and efforts by cities to internationalise themselves, as a significant contribution to these cities’ successes.

Giving response, Bruce Katz revealed his views on the American economy, noting a vision for the U.S. economy: driven by exports, powered by low carbon, fuelled by innovation, and rich with opportunity. Katz’s recommendations to the American government, therefore, included investment in research and development, an overhaul of immigration, and updates to transit networks.

Agreeing on the successful strategies of cities rebounding from prior economic recessions, both Katz and Professor Burdett highlighted the imperative for transport infrastructure and investments in human capital in accomplishing the goals of metropolitan economies.

Audio and video are available from this event.