LEARNING CLUSTERS 12 th TCI Annual Global Conference

Transcription

1 LEARNING CLUSTERS 12 th TCI Annual Global Conference Towards Learning Clusters? The growth and the decline of clusters in Veneto region Alessandro MINELLO Interdepartmental Centre for the Culture and Economics of Globalisation (CEG) Ca Foscari University - Venice alessandro.minello@unive.it Jyväskylä, Finland, October 14th 2009

2 Veneto region: localization and main statistics in 2009 Population: 4,8 million inhabitants (8% of the Italian population) Unemployment: 4% Enterprises: 460 thousand (1 firm every 10 inhabitants) GDP: 130 billion Euro (9% of the Italian GDP) Export: 48 billion Euro (14% of Italian export)

3 The normative framework National Laws Law 317/91 Law 140/99 Regional Laws in Veneto Regional Law 8/2003 Regional Law 5/2006 Budget: 10 to 15 million euro per year Degree of regional cofinancing: 20% to 40%

4 What problems were addressed by the regional law in Veneto? Excessive rate of individualism at firm level Lack of cooperation among enterprises and between enterprises and institutions Dualism between small and large firms Different strategies in order to face the globalization process Delocalization process Scarce propensity at sharing a common vision of the territorial development

5 Regional Law 4 april 2003 n. 8 Main aims on clusters Define the main identification criteria Establish the identification procedures which define clusters and any other kind of production chain aggregation Define how to support the local development Promote the development of the regional production system

6 Key concepts CLUSTER: group of enterprises which are integrated together in a productive system in order to develop a common strategy project. This is expressed through an agreement for the development of the cluster which conforms with regional legislative and programmatic instruments METACLUSTER: is a cluster that has its production line spread widely over the region s territory, thus making it a strategic instrument for the regional economy PRODUCTION CHAIN AGGREGATION: is the result of the ability of a group of enterprises to develop a common strategic project. It must involve an agreement between at least 10 enterprises, all belonging to the same industrial sector or to a single production line CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT: is a three years programmatic document which enhance the aims of the cluster in increasing the development of its own production sector

7 Cluster identification criteria Have a high degree of internal integration of the production systems and services Be able to increase innovation Involve a number of institutional actors with relevant competences which operate in support of the local economy Involve enterprises and other actors which have the aim to protect the excellence of specific industrial sectors or to help solve production crises in strategic sectors PRODUCTION CHAIN AGGREGATION: involve an agreement between at least 10 enterprises, all belonging to the same industrial sector or to a single production line CLUSTER: involve at least 100 local industrial enterprises and at least 1000 employees active in a specific area METACLUSTER: involve at least 250 local industrial enterprises and at least 5000 employees, even in the case of integrated specialization systems, all working within a specific production line

8 Cluster s Actors in Veneto Region SCHOOL AND TRANING AGENCIES Recognized public and private institutions that are active in the field of education and professional training ENTERPRISES Located in the Veneto region ADMINISTRATIVE LOCAL INSTITUTIONS PRIVATE AND PUBBLIC INSTITUTIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS (consortiums, foundations, special agencies, public participation companies, cooperatives), which are active in promotion, innovation or research activities furthering the development of the production system TRADE ASSOCIATIONS resulting from the region s collective negotiations INSTRUMENTAL AGENCIES Autonomous institutions having a public or semipublic function

9 Cluster Development Agreement renovation: evaluation procedure for agreements having a deadline on december 2009 Province(s) evaluates the consistent with main territorial plans The Veneto Region evaluates also all the activities planned by the Agreement The appropriate Chamber of Commerce has to evaluate the program of the new Agreement

10 Development agreement renovation: requirements Balance between the financial commitment which has been really funded and the commitment planned by the agreement s program The three-years quantitative involvement of enterprises which take part in the agreement The involvement of University and researchers in the realization of the projects The agreement s tendency to create and transfer innovation technology The number of projects which has been realized in the three years in which the agreement was in force The increase in the number of enterprises involved in the agreement The agreement s tendency in create internationalisation projects through trade fairs and the realization of fixed showrooms in foreign countries The increase in the number of employees in the enterprises which take part in the agreement due to the realization of the projects

11 New development agreements: main requirements High degree of productive and service integration provides by the supply chain s comparative analysis of a specific sector Ability to express innovation through new products and processes A number of enterprises which exceed the established one A number of projects in the field of research and innovation technology

12 New development agreements: secondary requirements Actions direct to increase jobs and employ the large part of the available labour force Economic feasibility of the project and returns on investments The presence of enterprises leader in the specific sector of the agreement or have certified patents, institutions active in the field of education about local culture, products and work, Universities and administrative local institutions

13 Clusters by law? Districts made by many small firms and few large enterprises From Organic districts (NL 140/99) To Clusters (RL 8/03) Firms and Institutions in the development agreenent To what extent do all the actors in cluster cooperate? And to Learning clusters?

14 The figures of clusters in Veneto Region Number of clusters Enterprises (a) Employees (b) b / a Food industries ,9 Plastic, rubber ,5 Jewellery ,9 Leather, shoes ,1 Furniture ,8 Primary sector ,6 Textiles, clothing ,6 Mechanics & tech ,2 Tertiary sector, environ/culture ,5 Paper ,2 TOTAL ,8 Source: Veneto Region Cluster office

15 Venetian clusters before the RL 8/03

16 Venetian clusters in 2009 From 22 to 44 clusters! Source: Veneto Region Cluster office

17 % distribution of clusters in Veneto in ,0% 35,0% 30,0% 25,0% 20,0% 15,0% 10,0% 5,0% 0,0% N. of clusters Enterprises Employees Source: Veneto Region Cluster office

18 Degree of realizations of the cluster development agreement VENETIAN LOGISTICS CLUSTER VERONA PRONTOMODA-VENETIAN CLOTHING CLUSTER VENETO-CLIMA VENETIAN THERMOMECHANICS CLUSTER VENETIAN FOOTWEAR METACLASTER VENETIAN MARBLE AND STONE CLUSTER FOOTWEAR CLUSTER IN VERONA VENETIAN CAROUSEL CLUSTER GOLDSMITH ANCD SILVERSMITH CLUSTER IN VICENZA PACKAGING NORTH-EAST CLUSTER VENETIAN SUSTAINIBLE ARCHITECTURE METACLUSTER MONTEBELLUNA SPORTSYSTEM CLUSTER CONEGLIANO VALDOBBIADENE PROSECCO WINE CLUSTER ICHTHYIC CLUSTER IN ROVIGO DISTRICT INDUSTRIAL AIR CONDITIONING AND REFRIGERATION CLUSTER EYE-GLASSES CLUSTER 71,4% 30,7% 90,0% 91,4% 26,9% 9,5% 48,5% 8,7% 20,0% 59,9% 58,3% 36,2% 62,5% 28,6% 18,1% 35,7% 32,1% 18,8% 51,2% 66,6% 67,5% 83,3% 90,0% 85,7% 62,5% 84,5% 0,0% 78,6% 50,0% 59,1% REALIZED PROJECTS FINANCIAL COMMITMENT Source: Veneto Region Cluster office 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%100%

19 Which clusters are going to become learning clusters? VERONA PRONTOMODA-VENETIAN CLOTHING CLUSTER MONTEBELLUNA SPORTSYSTEM CLUSTER CONEGLIANO VALDOBBIADENE PROSECCO WINE CLUSTER ICHTHYIC CLUSTER IN ROVIGO DISTRICT INDUSTRIAL AIR CONDITIONING AND REFRIGERATION CLUSTER EYE-GLASSES CLUSTER VENETIAN LOGISTICS CLUSTER FOOTWEAR CLUSTER IN VERONA VENETIAN MARBLE AND STONE CLUSTER VENETIAN SUSTAINIBLE ARCHITECTURE METACLUSTER GOLDSMITH ANCD SILVERSMITH CLUSTER IN VICENZA VENETIAN FOOTWEAR METACLASTER VENETO-CLIMA VENETIAN THERMOMECHANICS CLUSTER VENETIAN CAROUSEL CLUSTER PACKAGING NORTH-EAST CLUSTER Source: Veneto Region Cluster office 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

20 For the future we need to pay more attention to some selected critical points Insufficient investment in human capital and in vocational training Growing international competition Excessive levels of individualism among entrepreneurs-scarce degree of cooperation-lack of managerial culture Micro-size of companies Scarce number of young entrepreneurs Insufficient investments in marketing-research-communication. Insufficient relation public institutions Lack of common strategic objectives Lack of an organized structure that identifies the cluster - Lack of a cluster identity. Lack of support from the credit system Dependency of the small enterprises from the strategies of the leader enterprises Insufficient degree of internationalization at system level Lack of a professional leaders who join the interests of all cluster actors

21 Critical points perceived and cluster strategies: do they match? 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Critical points Strategies Source: alessandro minello, 2008

22 How is the (Mis)match between critical points and clusters strategies? Source: alessandro minello, 2008

23 The Sportsystem cluster in Montebelluna

24 The innovation relationships in Sportsystem cluster: is this a learning clusters? Source: alessandro minello, 2008

25 Thank you for your attention