Abstract
We criticize ‘orthodox’ economic theory by applying the philosophical framework developed by K.H. Brodbeck (2008; 2012). Accordingly, we argue that creativity represents the core economic activity conducted within the boundaries of socio‐economic networks. After discussing the changing notion of creativity throughout history of thinking, the elements of a post‐mechanistic economic framework are presented. By doing so, we elaborate on the idea that market economies are complex network systems of interacting agents (individuals, organisations). In the second part, we conduct network analysis to assess network‐topologies of European tourism destinations. By applying the network metric Simmelian brokerage (Latora et al. 2013), we show how network closure and structural holes can affect creativity. Findings reveal that destinations show serious creativity gaps