Cities which plan to transform into a creative engine of innovation may face a long and difficult journey.

Cities across the US are now striving to emulate the successes of Silicon Valley and New York in transitioning to a creative economy. Shade Shutters cautions that despite the successes of some, it is often difficult for cities to make the transition to a creative economy. He argues that such cities face the challenge of moving through their current network of occupations to a more creative one, something that calls for a more comprehensive strategy than simply trying to attract greater numbers of knowledge workers.