The Great Reset: How New Ways of Living and Working Drive Post-Crash Prosperity - Hardcover

Florida, Richard

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0307358291 ISBN 13: 9780307358295

Publisher: Random House Canada, 2010

Synopsis

We tend to view prolonged economic downturns, such as the Great Depression of the 1930s and the Long Depression of the late nineteenth century, in terms of the crisis and pain they cause. But history teaches us that these great crises also represent opportunities to remake our economy and society and to generate whole new eras of economic growth and prosperity. In terms of innovation, invention, and energetic risk taking, these periods of "creative destruction" have been some of the most fertile in history, and the changes they put into motion can set the stage for full-scale recovery.

In The Great Reset, bestselling author and economic development expert Richard Florida provides an engaging and sweeping examination of these previous economic epochs, or "resets." He distills the deep forces that have altered physical and social landscapes and eventually reshaped economies and societies. Looking toward the future, Florida identifies the patterns that will drive the next Great Reset and transform virtually every aspect of our lives — from how and where we live, to how we work, to how we invest in individuals and infrastructure, to how we shape our cities and regions. Florida shows how these forces, when combined, will spur a fresh era of growth and prosperity, define a new geography of progress, and create surprising opportunities for all of us. Among these forces will be

* new patterns of consumption, and new attitudes toward ownership that are less centered on houses and cars
* the transformation of millions of service jobs into middle class careers that engage workers as a source of innovation
* new forms of infrastructure that speed the movement of people, goods, and ideas
* a radically altered and much denser economic landscape organized around "megaregions" that will drive the development of new industries, new jobs, and a whole new way of life

We've weathered tough times before. They are a necessary part of economic cycles, giving us a chance to clearly see what's working and what's not. Societies can be reborn in such crises, emerging fresh, strong, and refocused. Now is our opportunity to anticipate what that brighter future will look like and to take the steps that will get us there faster.

With his trademark blend of wit, irreverence, and rigorous research and analysis, Florida presents an optimistic and counterintuitive vision of our future, calling into question long-held beliefs about the nature of economic progress and forcing us to reassess our very way of life. He argues convincingly that it's time to turn our efforts — as individuals, as governments, and as a society — to putting the necessary pieces in place for a vibrant, prosperous future.

About this title

From the Back Cover

We've weathered tough times before. History teaches us that periods of "creative destruction," like the Great Depression of the 1930s, also present opportunities to remake our economy and society and to generate whole new eras of economic growth and prosperity. In The Great Reset, bestselling author and economic development expert Richard Florida provides an engaging and sweeping examination of these previous economic epochs, or "resets," while looking toward the future to identify the patterns that will drive the next Great Reset and transform virtually every aspect of our lives. He distills the deep forces that alter physical and social landscapes—how and where we live, how we work, how we invest in individuals and infrastructure, how we shape our cities and regions—and shows the ways in which these forces, when combined, will spur a fresh era of growth and prosperity, define a new geography of progress, and create surprising opportunities for all of us.

About the Author

RICHARD FLORIDA is one of the world's leading public intellectuals. Currently Director of the Martin Prosperity Institute and Professor of Business and Creativity — both at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto — he is also founder of the Creative Class Group, an advisory services firm, charting new trends in business and community. Author of such bestsellers as The Rise of the Creative Class and Who's Your City?, he has written articles for the Atlantic Monthly, the New York Times, the Globe and Mail, the Wall Street Journal, the Harvard Business Review and the Boston Globe. He has also been appointed to the Business Innovation Factory's Research Advisory Council and serves as European Ambassador for Creativity and Innovation.

Edition details

• Publisher: Random House Canada
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0307358291
• ISBN 13: 9780307358295
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 240