Here we present the 2008 Report of the Barcelona Observatory
The Barcelona Observatory is an initiative sponsored by Barcelona City Council and the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, with the support of a large number of bodies from across the city which year upon year work with the Executive Secretariat by providing information and making key contributions as to their respective sectors.
This seventh edition of the Barcelona Observatory Annual Report aims to continue providing points of reference to serve as the basis for the decisions to be made by economic agents with an interest in doing business or setting up in Barcelona, to attract talent and support bids for the hosting of events or for the establishment of headquarters in the city of Barcelona. To this end, as every year, Barcelona is compared with the world's leading cities.
The key additional aspects included in the 2008 report are:
· The Barcelona Observatory has expanded the knowledge society chapter, viewing this as a central plank of the strategy for economic growth, while including new indicators from the European Union's Regional Innovation Scoreboard to help provide a more precise measurement of the city's commitment and practical policies, and those of other agents involved in this field.
· Once again there are a total of 50 indicators, with 5 new additions: population employed in science and technology, expenditure on research and development, population employed in creative sectors, water consumption, and sustainable transport.
· This year the number of cities included in the sample has again been expanded. The aim of the Barcelona Observatory remains that of ensuring that the sample offers global comparisons, currently in the form of 18 indicators, wherever the sources of information so allow.
The publication features the following sections:
· A section with the result of the 50 indicators covering the data and information obtained, structured and analysed during 2008.
· An overview highlighting the most significant aspects of Barcelona's positioning with regard to the leading European benchmark cities, non-capital cities and cities of the European Union members and the leading Asian cities.
The Barcelona Observatory is defined by the following hallmarks:
· It is built on the basis of a battery of indicators, preferably defined at a city level, although at times given a broader regional scope.
· The indicators are divided into six subject areas: business, knowledge, tourism, sustainability and quality of life, prices and costs, and labour market and training.
· The data are obtained from a sample of in some cases as many as 60 cities worldwide. It should be pointed out that for some indicators, because of the sample scale, a selection is made of the main urban areas.
· Wherever possible the indicators include historical data allowing for the evaluation of progress in each specific area, along with forecasts.
· The information sources drawn on are renowned international bodies and institutions.
· The data and information gathered are the most up-to-date available.
The Barcelona Observatory has its own portal, providing users from all round the world with free access to the information contained in the report, allowing them to keep track of the most significant projects and activities taking place in the city of Barcelona.
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