Cluster development policy to improve competitiveness in the agrofood sector Alberto Pezzi Director of cluster unit Girona, 30th June 2017
CLUSTER POLICY 25th anniversary Palau de la Generalitat Barcelona 8th June 2017
CLUSTER POLICY IN CATALONIA Source: J.M. Hernández, J. Fontrodona, A. Pezzi, Map of industrial production systems in Catalonia, 2005. Catalan productive fabric is very concentrated in clusters due to its industrial heritage SMEs are the backbone of Catalan economy and clusters allows economies of scale in understanding strategic challenges and implementing collaborative projects. Cluster policy focusses on the development of endogenous assets and require limited funding
CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES WORLDWIDE Aprox. over 5.000 Initiatives at world llevel ILLUSTRATIVE NOT EXHAUSTIVE Over 2.500 cluster organization at European level (source ECO) Selected regions and countries with cluster-based development initiatives SCOPE: NATIONAL REGIONAL LOCAL-CITY Emilia-Romagna Toscana (industrial-districts based policies)... Catalunya Basque Country Scotland Chihuahua Arizona Massachussets Austria Jordan México Campeche South Africa Rhône Alpes... Estonia Denmark Slovenia UK New Zealand Christchurch Sonoma Costa Rica Morocco Medellin Pakistan Poland Dominican Republic. Sweden France Turkey Lithuania Barcelona 22@ 1980 1990 1992 1997... 2001 2003 2008 Source: TCI cluster initiatives database, TCI research and practice Colombia Rio Negro (AR) Russia Minas Gerais 2017 1990 M.E. Porter, The Competitive Advantage of Nations, Boston 2008 EC COM, Towards world class clusters in the EU 1997-98 First practitioners conference promoted bywb andcreation of TCI Network 4
OVERVIEW OF CATALAN CLUSTER POLICY ILLUSTRATIVE Over two decades of learning by doing experience and policy adjustments 1993 2004 Phase I 1993 2004 Phase II 2009-2013 Phase III 2013 on Phase IV Microcluster approach, as the unit of reference for competitiveness of reinforcement initiatives Consolidation, internal skill development and project diversification Evolution of cluster concept, institutionalization and professionalization Catalonia cluster program, definition of a policy framework to pursue cluster excellence Innovating in... cluster scope and definition... support tools... governance... policy framework...
KEY ELEMENTS OF CATALAN CLUSTER POLICY COMBINATION OF ANALYSIS AND PROCESS TOOLS BASED ON PROF. PORTER S METHODOLOGY FOCUS ON STRATEGIC CHANGE Leadership Government Enterprises PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP PROVISION OF SPECIALIZED SERVICES FOR THE CAPACITATION OF CLUSTER MANAGERS CROSS-SECTORIAL COOPERATION AND INTERNATIONAL CONNECTION
CATALONIA CLUSTERS PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES To promote the use of clusters as a tool to reinforce the competitiveness of firms To fine-tune and coordinate Government s action in cluster policy To rationalise Catalan cluster ecosystem & to increase its international visibility MAIN ADMISSION CRITERIA Scope & Critical mass (# firms, aggregate turnover, regional scope) Governance and professionalization (ESCA Bronze Label, private leadership, not for profit) Alignment with Government s cluster policy STRATEGIC FOCUS Open and voluntary programme focused in promoting excellence of cluster organisations Designed for a 3 years duration with constant renewal of criteria and services
CATALONIA CLUSTER PROGRAMME 1 ST EDITION (2014-2016) Clusters Members Turnover Employees 30 >2.100 > 65.000M 290.000
CATALONIA CLUSTER POLICY STRATEGY - LEARNING BY DOING CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT - SERVICE-BASED SUPPORT - BALANCED PORTFOLIO - PPP AND GOVERNANCE - POLICY BENCHMARKING - POLICY INNOVATION PROGRAMME CONTINUOS IMPROVEMENT INTERNATIONAL CONNECTION - INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS - EUROPEAN PROJECTS - INTERNATIONAL INTER-CLUSTERS MEET - PARTICIPATION IN EUROPEAN AND INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS Excellence World Class Clusters - EVALUATION FRAMEWORK IMPLEMENTATION - PUBLICATIONS AND ACCIÓ S NEW WEBSITE, CLUSTER EVENTS EVALUATION AND VISIBILITY STRATEGIC CHANGE & CROSS-CLUSTER COLLABORATION - CROSS-SECTORAL AND CROSS-CLUSTER WORK - STRATEGIC CHANGE AS A DRIVER OF COMPETITIVE IMPROVEMENT - COMPETITIVE-BASED GRANT SCHEME
A SERVICE-BASED PROGRAMME Strategic coaching Support to Internationalization Training and project development guidance Networking Specialized services: ESPAI CATALONIA CLUSTERS: launched June 2016 currently 11 cluster organization are sharing a co-working space in Barcelona
TYPOLOGY OF PROJECTS PROMOTED Strategic change Ex. Fashion textile cluster evolution from microcluster to strategy focused < Internationalization Ex. EU4SportsClustersAlliance (EU project to foster internationalisation of SMEs) Horizontal collaboration Ex. Kid of the future (Joint market study on trends & opportunities for the kids market) Innovation and R&D Ex. Vinoptics (Photonics applied to the viticulture sector, collaborative initiative between Innovi and SecPho) Cross-cluster Ex. Innovation in water treatment (Collaborative project between the water and pork meat clusters)
CATALONIA CLUSTER PROGRAMME 1 ST EDITION (2014-2016) Clusters Members Turnover Employees 30 >2.100 > 65.000M 290.000 5 members of CATALONIA CLUSTERS: 12.500 M. 286 COMPANIES 66.000 JOBS
FROM FOOD SECTOR TO FOOD RELATED CLUSTERS > 3.700 companies > 25 Bn turnover From traditional statistically-defined cluster initiatives to strategy-centered ones + Brand Leading Brand Functional Food Meat Fuit and vegetables Wine and cava Olive oil Gourmet Retail Brand Organic Food Retail specialist - Brand Food service Distribution service HORECA Big Distr. Chains New Channels Trad. retail Retail specialist
SOME COMMON STRATEGIC CHALLENGES FOR AGRO-FOOD CLUSTERS Market intelligence Internationalization Product development and differentiation Sustainability & circular economy Food safety Individual strategies Collaborative projects at cluster and inter-cluster level Business environment reinforcement Skilled personnel Tourism and gastronomy
GOURMET CLUSTER : PROMOTION EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS AT CLUSTER LEVEL (1) DIFFERENT PRE-COMPETITIVE INITIATIVES JOINT DISTRIBUTION at the most visited tourist spot in Catalonia Lots of products Alimentaria trade fair Meeting point of Gourmet sector Social Network
WHY CLUSTERS? MARKET INTELLIGENCE EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS AT CLUSTER LEVEL (2) COMMON STUDIES / SURVEY FOR MARKET INTELLIGENCE Independent bars sector is highly fragmented Catalonia 958 Companies 47.000 Establishments 10.500M 1 bar/170 inhabitants Spain 35.000 Establishments 32.000M 1 bar/135 inhabitants SURVEY / MARKET STUDY understand the independent bars sector in Catalonia in order to improve commercial and marketing efforts.
CREATING LINKS BETWEEN ACADEMIA, EDUCATION AND BUSINESS EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS AT CLUSTER LEVEL (3) IMPROVING BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT ADDRESSING TRAINING OFFER GAPS PACKAGING ENGINEERING POSTGRADUATE // UPC ENCOURAGING TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION PROJECTS IN EDUCATION
EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS AT INTER-CLUSTER LEVEL (1) INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP AT ALIMENTARIA
EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS AT INTER-CLUSTER LEVEL (2) DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHLY HEALTHY PORK PRODUCTS A new cured and enriched snack of salami
EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS AT INTER-CLUSTER LEVEL (3): OPERATIVE EFFICIENCY AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY INNOVATION IN WATER TREATMENT EFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY OF WATER CONSUMPTION IN THE FOOD SECTOR
CROSS-SECTORIAL PROJECTS EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS: INTERNATIONALIZATION FOODNETWORK (DK), PACKAGING AND AINS INNOVATION EXPRESS PROJECT FOCUSES ON: FOOD SAFETY, SUSTAINABILITY, FRESH FISH PACKAGING AND ACTIVE AND INTELLIGENT PACKAGING
EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS: CIRCULAR ECONOMY & SHARED VALUE Decrease carbon and water footprint
23 25 YEARS OF CLUSTER POLICY: MAIN LESSON LEARNED CLUSTER IS ALWAYS A TOOL CUSTOMIZED APPROACH IN A COMMON FRAMEWORK KEY ELEMENTS OF CLUSTER POLICY: PPP & STRATEGIC CHANGE CONTINUOUS LEARNING BY DOING AND POLICY EVOLUTION CLUSTERING IS ABOUT BUSINESS, BUT PEOPLE ARE THE KEY CLUSTER POLICY HAVE A LONG TERM PERSPECTIVE AND SEDIMENTATE SOCIAL CAPITAL INTO K-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
CATALONIA: A WORLD-CLASS CLUSTER ECOSYSTEM Cluster policy in place since 1992 led by the Government of Catalonia Home of the leading European training institution for cluster practitioners Other local entities working at cluster level: Over 2000 firms and 100 cluster professionals actively involved in cluster initiatives Other agents: Business schools Specialized consultancy firms, etc. Headquarters of the leading global practitioners network
For more information: ALBERTO PEZZI apezzi@gencat.cat Our Barcelona Office: info.accio@gencat.cat @accio_cat