Experts of the future: A passion for entrepreneurship led to a research career

Why did you become a researcher?

I’ve always been somewhat of an entrepreneur, and after I earned my degree, I started working in a start-up developing IT platforms to manage logistics. I was responsible for data analysis, which was really interesting, but after four years I had an urge to dive back into my studies. My PhD thesis helps me do this, while also fulfilling my entrepreneurship drive because I get to innovate, write and network. I have to create something myself.

What is the focus of your thesis?

I work with urban economics, a field that focuses on the geographic developments of the economy. My focus is on the job market and its dynamics in cities and regions. How do businesses and households affect the job market in their local area? And what makes a business or a family settle in the area? The aim is to give better insight into how these decisions affect economic growth and regional development.

How can your knowledge benefit others?

My knowledge matters in relation to how we can create growth in the entire country and not just in the big cities. It is also relevant in terms of identifying which political tools can be applied, for instance, does moving government workplaces from Copenhagen to the provinces have any effect?

What do you consider the most important discovery within your field of research?

Even though it took place many years ago, it is probably the realisation that the placement of businesses and private households impacts economic developments. In research, we talk about the density between businesses and households. High density is good for productivity, but it also creates challenges such as traffic jams and pollution. There’s still a lot to be done in understanding mechanisms and intersection points.

What is your greatest strength – and weakness?

My greatest strength must be my curiosity, But I’m also a bit of a perfectionist, which is my weakness. I’m actively working on learning to know when something is complete and good enough.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

The fact is, I have three children aged 0, 3, and 6, and they are exceptionally skilled at keeping me busy in my spare time. Otherwise, I like to read non-fiction, and I’ve actually joined a book club. I read everything from science fiction to poems and Danish classics. My most recent book was Tom Kristensen’s ‘Havoc’.

Which historical person do you admire the most?

I have to go with Immanuel Kant, the philosopher. In addition to my degree in economics, I also hold a bachelor degree in philosophy, and I’m really impressed that Kant in just ten years managed to publish three major works in cognition theory, ethics and aesthetics. He changed the way we perceive the world.

What do you wanted to be when you were growing up?

I took interest in a lot of things. If you had asked me back then, the answer would probably have been football player or physicist. 

Read more about Laurits Rømer Hjorth: https://www.cbs.dk/en/research/departments-and-centres/department-of-economics/staff/lrheco