Sánchez Moral, Simón2023-06-172023-06-172017-010041-002010.3828/tpr.2017.8https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/18273Strategies of attraction and retention of talent are gaining importance in the policy agendas of Spanish old industrial cities. However, since more evidence is needed regarding the effectiveness of these approaches this study begins by analysing the stocks and flows of ‘creative workers’ within the urban system. The inspection of a sample of their working histories confirms the capacity of this workforce to transform the nine studied cities by upgrading local human capital levels, fostering pecuniary externalities or improving local institutional frameworks. Nevertheless, some of these effects appear somehow blurred by low-skilled immigration and the dualisation of the labour market.engjournal articlehttp://online.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/abs/10.3828/tpr.2017.8open access911.3:33911.3913Urban shrinkagetalentmobilitylabour trajectoriesurban resilienceGeografía económicaGeografía humanaGeografía regional5401 Geografía Económica5403 Geografía Humana5404 Geografía Regional