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TOWARDS A CLUSTER BASED DEVELOPMENT APPROACH IN TUNISIA

The Phosphate Cluster of

GabesBy Haythem Abidi 2016/2017 Engineering & Technology Policy

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SUMMARY

About clusters: Definition, performance and importanceA new perspective on our current economic development model

Case study: The phosphate cluster of Gabes

Perspective

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WHAT ARE CLUSTERS?• Clusters are geographically concentrated and inter-connected organizations by the flow of goods and services, which is stronger than the flow linking them to the rest of the economy. (1)

(2)

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CLUSTERS BOOST COMPETITIVENESS • increase the productivity of companies based in the

area

• drive the direction and pace of innovation, which

underpins future productivity growth

• stimulate the formation of new businesses, which

expands and strengthens the cluster itself.

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WHAT IS COMPETITIVENESS• Region are considered competitive to the extent that firms operating there compete successfully in the regional and global economy while maintaining higher standard of living for the average citizen

• Competitiveness depend on the long run productivity of the firms and the efficiency of the region as a place to do business

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CLUSTERS AS A CORE UNIT OF ANALYSIS

Nation

States

Regions

• Regions are essential economic units for competitiveness

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NEW DIRECTION FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MODEL Focus on competitiveness, not job creation Cluster based approach, reflecting the core drivers of wealth and jobs Build on existing and potential strengths Develop an overall strategy, sequence and prioritize and not treat all weaknesses at once Data driven policies

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DETERMINANTS OF REGIONAL COMPETITIVENESS

Endowments

Sound monetary and fiscal policies

Human Development and political institutions

Quality of the business

environmentState of cluster development

Sophistication of firms

operations & strategy

Microeconomic competitiveness

Macroeconomic competitiveness

(1)

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COMPOSITION OF REGIONAL ECONOMIES

Local Clusters

Traded Clusters

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MASSACHUSETTS LIFE SCIENCES CLUSTER

(1)

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REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICES: A NEW ERA• Cluster initiatives: they are policy catalyst for private sector development generating broad public understanding and support for the economic reform agenda by working with the media, universities and think tanks, knowledge and technology foundations, industry leaders, government officials, etc.

• When designed carefully and implemented efficiently, cluster initiatives may well be one of the most effective tools in a broader context of policy reform and other private sector development initiatives. (3)

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CLUSTER INITIATIVE PROCESS

Cluster mapping

Diagnosis and

strategy formulatio

n

Implementation of strategic policies

and institutional initiatives

Post project

sustainability

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MAPPING THE PHOSPHATE CLUSTER OF GABES: INFRASTRUCTURE Commercial port approximately 12m deep (the deepest in the nation). Gabes-Matmata international airport with a capacity of 200,000 passengers.

A rail network with a length of 135 km (linking Gabes to Gafsa, Sfax, Sousse and Tunis).

Highway linking Sfax to Gabes over a length of 152 km.

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MAPPING THE PHOSPHATE CLUSTER OF GABES: HUMAN RESOURCES 19129 Students: (Gabes: 17181, Medenine: 1799, Tataouine: 149), 1620: Teachers Researchers (Gabes: 1422, Medenine: 184, Tataouine: 37)

4584 Graduates from higher education

7 public vocational training centers

59 private vocational training centers

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MAPPING THE PHOSPHATE CLUSTER OF GABES: RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT1 Multi-sectoral industrial and technological center1 Technical center for geothermal and greenhouse crops1 National Institute of Rural Engineering, Water and Forests 1 National Institute of Sciences and Technologies of the Sea Regional Directorate of the Institute of Arid Regions (IRA) 14 Research Units2 Research Laboratories1 Doctoral School.

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MAPPING THE PHOSPHATE CLUSTER OF GABES: CENTRAL COORDINATING BODYPOLITECH-GABES

Creating a collaborative platform for innovation &

development -MED OASIS VALLEY

Innovation and technological transfer

Strategic surveillance/business intelligence

Cluster support

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THE PHOSPHATE CLUSTER OF GABES MAP

Alkimia

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NEXT STEP?

Cluster mapping

Diagnosis and

strategy formulatio

n

Implementation of strategic policies

and institutional initiatives

Post project

sustainability

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PERSPECTIVE

• A nation wide mapping for cluster sprout

• Industry analysis and strategic diagnosis for

classification of top priority clusters

• strategy formulation and implementation of cluster

initiatives as a catalyst for economic development

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REFERENCES• (1) Micheal Porter (1998). Clusters and the new economics of competition, Harvard Buisiness Review. https://hbr.org/1998/11/clusters-and-the-new-economics-of-competition • (2) Micheal Porter, Orjan Solvell, Christian Ketels, Goran Linqdvist (2003). The Cluster initiative green book• (3) International Trade Department (2009). Clusters for competitiveness