Exploring Proximities in Coworking Spaces: Evidence from Italy

Since the mid-2000s, the rising phenomenon of coworking spaces (CSs) has provided a flexible and mainly affordable solution for freelancers, entrepreneurs, small firms and start-ups, which may had experienced the issues of isolation when working from home, to work in a shared workplace, interact, so...

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Main Authors: Ilaria Mariotti, Mina Akhavan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Lodz University Press 2020-06-01
Series:European Spatial Research and Policy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://czasopisma.uni.lodz.pl/esrap/article/view/5837
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author Ilaria Mariotti
Mina Akhavan
author_facet Ilaria Mariotti
Mina Akhavan
author_sort Ilaria Mariotti
collection DOAJ
description Since the mid-2000s, the rising phenomenon of coworking spaces (CSs) has provided a flexible and mainly affordable solution for freelancers, entrepreneurs, small firms and start-ups, which may had experienced the issues of isolation when working from home, to work in a shared workplace, interact, socialize and share knowledge. This article explores the phenomenon of CSs within the theoretical framework of proximity measures a là Boschma (2005) – cognitive, organisational, social and institutional – that underpin the aspects of innovation, interaction and knowledge exchange. Though some studies on CSs have indirectly studied the different aspects of proximity, only a few of them focused on the importance of proximity measures at the workspace. With the aim to fill the gap in the literature, an empirical study was applied to Italy with 549 active CSs in 2018. The data was collected through an on-line questionnaire, addressed to a sample of 326 coworkers, focusing mainly on the set of questions devoted to understanding whether coworkers have exploited the proximity typologies in their CSs, have experienced increases in their revenues and well-being. The results are critically discussed, and some insights on policy implications are proposed.
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spelling doaj.art-e61ac165f652421ca18d93da71b7ff8d2022-12-21T19:06:16ZengLodz University PressEuropean Spatial Research and Policy1231-19521896-15252020-06-01271375210.18778/1231-1952.27.1.025837Exploring Proximities in Coworking Spaces: Evidence from ItalyIlaria Mariotti0Mina Akhavan1Politecnico di Milano, Department of Architecture and Urban Studies (DAStU)Politecnico di Milano, Department of Architecture and Urban Studies (DAStU)Since the mid-2000s, the rising phenomenon of coworking spaces (CSs) has provided a flexible and mainly affordable solution for freelancers, entrepreneurs, small firms and start-ups, which may had experienced the issues of isolation when working from home, to work in a shared workplace, interact, socialize and share knowledge. This article explores the phenomenon of CSs within the theoretical framework of proximity measures a là Boschma (2005) – cognitive, organisational, social and institutional – that underpin the aspects of innovation, interaction and knowledge exchange. Though some studies on CSs have indirectly studied the different aspects of proximity, only a few of them focused on the importance of proximity measures at the workspace. With the aim to fill the gap in the literature, an empirical study was applied to Italy with 549 active CSs in 2018. The data was collected through an on-line questionnaire, addressed to a sample of 326 coworkers, focusing mainly on the set of questions devoted to understanding whether coworkers have exploited the proximity typologies in their CSs, have experienced increases in their revenues and well-being. The results are critically discussed, and some insights on policy implications are proposed.https://czasopisma.uni.lodz.pl/esrap/article/view/5837coworking spacecoworkerproximity measuresitaly
spellingShingle Ilaria Mariotti
Mina Akhavan
Exploring Proximities in Coworking Spaces: Evidence from Italy
European Spatial Research and Policy
coworking space
coworker
proximity measures
italy
title Exploring Proximities in Coworking Spaces: Evidence from Italy
title_full Exploring Proximities in Coworking Spaces: Evidence from Italy
title_fullStr Exploring Proximities in Coworking Spaces: Evidence from Italy
title_full_unstemmed Exploring Proximities in Coworking Spaces: Evidence from Italy
title_short Exploring Proximities in Coworking Spaces: Evidence from Italy
title_sort exploring proximities in coworking spaces evidence from italy
topic coworking space
coworker
proximity measures
italy
url https://czasopisma.uni.lodz.pl/esrap/article/view/5837
work_keys_str_mv AT ilariamariotti exploringproximitiesincoworkingspacesevidencefromitaly
AT minaakhavan exploringproximitiesincoworkingspacesevidencefromitaly