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Our point of departure:

Cluster Learning Dynamics – Local or Global? Anders Malmberg Uppsala University, Sweden / Peter Maskell Copenhagen Business School, Denmark Presentation for ISRN Conference, Vancouver, May 2004. Our point of departure:.

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Our point of departure:

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  1. Cluster Learning Dynamics– Local or Global?Anders MalmbergUppsala University, Sweden / Peter MaskellCopenhagen Business School, DenmarkPresentation for ISRN Conference, Vancouver, May 2004

  2. Our point of departure: • Malmberg & Maskell (2002) The Elusive Concept of Localization Economies – Towards a Knowledge-based Theory of Spatial Clustering. E&P A 34 • Bathelt, Malmberg & Maskell (2004) Clusters and knowledge: Local buzz, global pipelines and the process of knowledge creation PiHG 28 • Maskell, Bathelt & Malmberg (2004) Temporary Clusters and Knowledge Creation. Spaces 04 • Malmberg & Power (2004) (How) Do (Firms in) Clusters Create Knowledge? Reg Studies (subm)

  3. Cluster learning dynamics:Possible local forces could be identified along three dimensions • The vertical system dimension • The horizontal system dimension • The social arena dimension

  4. The Vertical Dimension • Local collaborative interaction between …– suppliers of specialized input– demanding customers– suppliers of technology and machinery– suppliers of specialised services– industry-academia links

  5. The Horizontal Dimension Local processes of: • Variation and heterogeniety • Visibility despite protective attempts • Monitoring and comparison • Selection and imitation • Rivalry

  6. The Social Arena • Localized knowledge spill-overs following from the local nature of everyday day life (local buzz) • The localized nature of labour market dynamics along the vertical and horizontal dimension

  7. Emerging empirical evidence • Limited support to the idea that the local vertical dimension is important: limited internal trade = little new user-produser knowledge is created locally • Scant but more promising when it comes to the role of the horizontal dimension • The social dimension: barely explored. Anecdotal evidence support the role of ”off-work social interaction” as a local learning arena. • Emerging analyses of the role of labour mobility give promising results

  8. Cluster Learning Dynamics: The Global-Local Interface (1) Finding and accessing global knowledge (2) Combining global knowledge with local ideas

  9. Finding and accessing global knowledge • Building pipelines • Participating in or organizing conventions, fairs, exhibitions, meetings (or ‘temporary clusters’) • Joining global communities of practice or epistemic communities etc.

  10. Combining Global Knowledge with Local Ideas • The cluster’s absorptive capacity. • The role of gatekeepers • The role of governance and “metaorganizers” • The challenge: How to balance between knowledge overload and knowledge scantiness and insularism?

  11. Emerging conclusions • Localised clusters of similar economic activity are normally not ”locally defined industrial systems” • Rivalry, labour mobility and knowledge spill-overs following from informal types of social interaction are more likely advantages of spatial clustering than organised inter-firm transactions and collaborations • The research field should pay more attention to how localised clusters identify, access and utilize knowledge from far away

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