1. Pathways, places and personal networks shaping smart urban growth: what drives actors to urban regions? Sako Musterd-Urban Geography-University of Amsterdam

2. Three actor groups; five theories Urban settlement considerations of Managers in creative and knowledge intensive industries High-skilled employees in these industries High-skilled transnational migrants Various theoretical perspectives on urban economic growth Path dependence theory (Boschma) Cluster theory (Porter) Classic location theory (hard conditions) (Taylor) Individual trajectories and network theory (Grabher) Soft conditions theory (talent) (Florida)

3. Survey among high-skilled employees Personal Networks born in region family lives here studied in city proximity to friends Hard conditions moved because of my job moved because of partner's job good employment opportunities higher wages size of city good transport links presence of good universities Soft conditions weather/climate proximity to natural environment housing affordability housing availability housing quality safe for children open to different people open minded and tolerant gay/lesbian friendly language overall friendliness diversity of leisure & entertainment cultural diversity diversity of built environment

4. High-skilled employees ranking indicators as most important for settling in the specified cities, condensed in three dimensions: networks, hard, and soft factors Networks Hard conditions Soft conditions Total percentage N Amsterdam383526100221 Barcelona622711100200 Birmingham57385100165 Budapest71245100197 Helsinki513910100191 Leipzig43508100159 Munich306010100178 Poznan74233100155 Riga80174100132 Sofia9110 100200 Toulouse474210100191 Milan64324100183 Dublin57421100201 Total583481002373

5. Conclusions Deep structural and contemporary factors – especially personal trajectories and networks, and job opportunities – are keys to understand the development of creative and knowledge intensive industries; Classic hard conditions are still relevant Policies aimed at attracting talent should focus less on amenities, diversity and tolerance and more on job opportunity and strengthening personal networks