Composite Index to Measure Cities’ Creative Performance: An Empirical Study in the Portuguese Context
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The paper proposes a composite index to measure creativity performances in cities. This is an interesting issue and I think the paper adds a novel contribution in the field. The methodological approach is sound and the selection of variables is well motivated in the literature review section.
I have the following doubts/suggestions.
1) One important concern is the missing of controls for geographical proximity. A city with high creativity performances can have positive externalities to nearest cities, creativity can benefit from local clusters of cities, and so on.
I suggest the authors to properly discuss this issue.
2) In the introduction, while the paper is well motivated, I think it would be interesting to explain a bit more in details why and to what extent creativity performance is in relation to sustainable development of cities.
3) The variables used in the analysis (see table 2) are sometimes in absolute value, while in other cases they are divided by population. I'm wondering if it would be better to consider all variables in relation to population.
4) Could you present the results of your composite index applied to Portugal cities (maybe with a geographical map of Portugal showing the different values of your index)? This would help also in the discussion of the above comment (1).
Author Response
The paper proposes a composite index to measure creativity performances in cities. This is an interesting issue and I think the paper adds a novel contribution in the field. The methodological approach is sound and the selection of variables is well motivated in the literature review section.
I have the following doubts/suggestions.
1) One important concern is the missing of controls for geographical proximity. A city with high creativity performances can have positive externalities to nearest cities, creativity can benefit from local clusters of cities, and so on.
I suggest the authors to properly discuss this issue.
R: In fact we did not consider the effect that the geographical proximity between cities could have on their creative performance, since the externalities between cities is an important control variable. Thus, now we inserted this concern as another limitation. In addition, in Limitations and Further Research section, it is suggested that in future investigations this proximity be taken into account and that the results obtained be compared with those presented in this study, so that implications for practice and theory can be woven from a management perspective.
2) In the introduction, while the paper is well motivated, I think it would be interesting to explain a bit more in details why and to what extent creativity performance is in relation to sustainable development of cities.
Thank you for your suggestion. Now in Introduction section we create a new paragraph where we show that the intangibility inherent in creativity and culture is a promoter of sustainable urban development [13], [22]. Recently, Rodrigues & Franco [22] postulated that sustainability in cities must be mediated by culture, creative economy and favorable environment, whose connection and integration is a vector for networking and urban entrepreneurship, as intangible assets that improve sustainability in cities.
3) The variables used in the analysis (see table 2) are sometimes in absolute value, while in other cases they are divided by population. I'm wondering if it would be better to consider all variables in relation to population.
The final data obtained per variable reflect absolute values, but they were transformed into relative values (proxy/resident population per*1000 city inhabitants), to allow subsequent comparison between cities, irrespective of their size. This means that all variables are presented in relative values, without exception.
4) Could you present the results of your composite index applied to Portugal cities (maybe with a geographical map of Portugal showing the different values of your index)? This would help also in the discussion of the above comment (1).
However, in this study the sample corresponds to the universe of all Portuguese cities and towns (N=308). Given that in this study we chose not to present the results by city, we do not show the different values obtained in the index for them, which will be filled a posteriori by another future research.
Reviewer 2 Report
Generally, the paper presents a new model to measure the creative performance of cities which can be useful for researcher worldwide. Despite this, the authors do not provide a detail description of the policy-context within which it has been developed. The Portuguese policies are described in different paragraphs all along the paper (lines45-49,116-117,146-149,204-222). Moving them in the abstract and in the introduction will make clear why the Portuguese case study is so relevant for the journal international audience.
In the literature there are fundamental works missing such as the KEA reports and the UNCTAD reports on the creative economy or the last works on policy-making, for instance those by Sacco et al. and Ponzini. In these studies as well as in the EU Creative and Cultural cities monitor, there are several indicators regarding the urban environment not acknowledged by the paper (i.e. urban facilities and environmental factors must include elements like market prices, building age and/or year of restructuring, presence of park and green areas in the surroundings, etc.).
Finally, the authors should make explicit which framework they adopt for the CCI (which sectors they consider – NACE codes).
For these reasons, I suggest the editor to reconsider the paper after major revisions.
Author Response
Generally, the paper presents a new model to measure the creative performance of cities which can be useful for researcher worldwide. Despite this, the authors do not provide a detail description of the policy-context within which it has been developed. The Portuguese policies are described in different paragraphs all along the paper (lines45-49,116-117,146-149,204-222). Moving them in the abstract and in the introduction will make clear why the Portuguese case study is so relevant for the journal international audience.
R: As suggested, now in Abstract and Introduction section we show more clearly the policy-context within which our study was developed. More precisely, we refer the importance of this study for the institutional entities of Portugal, at the national and regional level, so that the public policies adopted are monitored and also to provide corrective measures to be implemented to overcome their weaknesses.
In the literature there are fundamental works missing such as the KEA reports and the UNCTAD reports on the creative economy or the last works on policy-making, for instance those by Sacco et al. and Ponzini. In these studies as well as in the EU Creative and Cultural cities monitor, there are several indicators regarding the urban environment not acknowledged by the paper (i.e. urban facilities and environmental factors must include elements like market prices, building age and/or year of restructuring, presence of park and green areas in the surroundings, etc.).
Finally, the authors should make explicit which framework they adopt for the CCI (which sectors they consider – NACE codes).
R. Now in Sample subsection we refer that the choice of our sample is relevant to the evolution of the Portuguese economy in relation to the objectives of the 2020 Strategy, specifically the increase in the employment rate, investment in research and development and education.
In Results and Discussion section, from the Tables 1 and 2, now we reinforce these ideas, i.e., it is perceptible that creativity involves several axes of action, so in this discussion of results it is postulated that “the characteristics of creativity in different areas of human endeavor can at least be articulated. For example, it can be suggested that: (1) artistic creativity involves imagination and a capacity to generate original ideas and novel ways of interpreting the world, expressed in text, sound and image; (2) scientific creativity involves curiosity and a willingness to experiment and make new connections in problem solving; and (3) economic creativity is a dynamic process leading towards innovation in technology, business practices, marketing, etc., and is closely linked to gaining competitive advantages in the economy. “[105] (p. 42).
This, furthermore, directs this study towards the adoption of the definition of creative industries of UNCTAD [106], that is, “…makes a distinction between “upstream activities” (traditional cultural activities such as performing arts or visual arts) and “downstream activities” (much closer to the market, such as advertising, publishing or media-related activities) and argues that the second group derives its commercial value from low reproduction costs and easy transfer to other economic domains. From this perspective, cultural industries make up a subset of the creative industries.”
It means there are several indicators regarding the urban environment (i.e. urban facilities and environmental factors must include elements like market prices, building age and/or year of restructuring, presence of park and green areas in the surroundings, etc.), however, we not included these indicators due to unavailability of data in Portugal for all cities. This concern was inserted in Limitations section.
Reviewer 3 Report
It is my pleasure to review.: sustainability-427878, Composite Index to Measure Cities’ Creative Performance: An Empirical Study in the Portuguese Context.
The paper is well structured, its abstract is accurate and informative including the study's purpose, main findings, and main conclusions. The research objectives are significant and concisely stated, the results are soundly interpreted. The interpretations and conclusions are justified by the results. So, I recommend acceptance of the paper after minor revisions.
This manuscript details the Composite Index to Measure Cities’ Creative Performance in Portuguese. It also briefly describes the Creativity in Cities though three main contents such as culture, creative economy and favorable environment. While the topics covered by this manuscript are of great interest to the creative performance of cities to the community, I have two concerns about the manuscript as currently written that make me reluctant to recommend it for publication.
First, I am just wondering is it ok to use the TripAdvisor data and Meloteca.com. for to calculate the creativity index of a city? What is the credibility of using those data’s? Is it possible to include sustainability in measuring the Cities’ Creative Performance?
My second concern about the manuscript is needs improvement to follow the authors guidelines of the sustainability journal. Because reference are not follows the guidelines.
Author Response
It is my pleasure to review.: sustainability-427878, Composite Index to Measure Cities’ Creative Performance: An Empirical Study in the Portuguese Context.
The paper is well structured, its abstract is accurate and informative including the study's purpose, main findings, and main conclusions. The research objectives are significant and concisely stated, the results are soundly interpreted. The interpretations and conclusions are justified by the results. So, I recommend acceptance of the paper after minor revisions.
This manuscript details the Composite Index to Measure Cities’ Creative Performance in Portuguese. It also briefly describes the Creativity in Cities though three main contents such as culture, creative economy and favorable environment. While the topics covered by this manuscript are of great interest to the creative performance of cities to the community, I have two concerns about the manuscript as currently written that make me reluctant to recommend it for publication.
First, I am just wondering is it ok to use the TripAdvisor data and Meloteca.com. for to calculate the creativity index of a city? What is the credibility of using those data’s? Is it possible to include sustainability in measuring the Cities’ Creative Performance?
R: Now in foot note (see colour RED in the paper) we refer that was used by European Union [28], page 110.
My second concern about the manuscript is needs improvement to follow the authors guidelines of the sustainability journal. Because reference are not follows the guidelines.
R: All references were revised. Now these typos were considered accordingly.
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
I think the manuscript can be accepted.
Reviewer 2 Report
The authors cover all the reviewers' suggestions.
