Cluster Learning Dynamics– Local or Global?

Anders MalmbergUppsala University, Sweden /

Peter Maskell Copenhagen Business School, Denmark

Presentation for ISRN Conference, Vancouver, May 2004

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)

Cluster learning dynamics:Possible local forces could be identified along three dimensions

• The vertical system dimension

• The horizontal system dimension

• The social arena dimension

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

The Horizontal Dimension

Local processes of:

• Variation and heterogeniety

• Visibility despite protective attempts

• Monitoring and comparison

• Selection and imitation

• Rivalry

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

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

Cluster Learning Dynamics: The Global-Local Interface

(1) Finding and accessing global knowledge

(2) Combining global knowledge

with local ideas

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.

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?

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