Nesta Working Paper 15/11

Issued: June 2015

JEL Classification:
Keywords: innovation, jobs, want ads, data collection, employment, big data, IT

Abstract

In this paper we propose an approach, based on structured analysis of online help-wanted advertisements (want ads),for producing low-cost, flexible and realtime estimates of innovative jobs by national, regional, and local levels.

We show how this methodology can be used to analyze the geography of innovation in the UK. First we develop the basic procedures for the want-ad approach.

Then using U.S. data, we show how the want-ad approach accurately tracks the distribution of computer and mathematical occupations across US states. We then estimate the total number and the distribution of IT occupations, big data occupations, and medtech occupations in the United Kingdom.

The paper ends with a discussion of how the want-ad approach can be used as a low-cost methodology for tracking innovative jobs, even on a very local level. We suggest it should be in the tool kit of any economic planning agency.

Authors

Judith Scherer, South Mountain Economics LLP

Michael Mandel, South Mountain Economics LLP

The Nesta Working Paper Series is intended to make available early results of research undertaken or supported by Nesta and its partners in order to elicit comments and suggestions for revisions and to encourage discussion and further debate prior to publication (ISSN 2050-9820). © Year 2015 by the author(s). Short sections of text, tables and figures may be reproduced without explicit permission provided that full credit is given to the source. The views expressed in this working paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of Nesta.