Location patterns and drivers of coworking spaces in European regions

Abstract

The location patterns of new working spaces and the factors driving their emergence have been widely studied in Europe. However, research has mainly focused on specific countries and very local areas. We widen this perspective to a regional one and conduct a cross-country study of the location patterns and determinants of today's main new working spaces, specifically coworking spaces that facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing. Coworking spaces are traditionally associated in the literature with vibrant urban places, but they are also found in non-metropolitan regions. Drawing on a unique data set of coworking space locations in four large European countries (Spain, France, Germany and Poland), we test how demographic, economic, structural, technological and accessibility-related determinants affect the location of these spaces. We then investigate whether the identified determinants vary between metropolitan and non-metropolitan and between countries, controlling for spatial effects.