Chinese microentrepreneurs in  industrial cluster in Italy: analysis of the ethnic microenterprises’  performance

By: M. Biggeri, L. Braito. Competitiveness Review, DOI: 10.1108/CR-11-2021-0158, April 2022.

Abstract: “Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the distinctive economic and social dynamics of ethnic quasi-enclave industrial sub-clusters and to econometrically analyse the main factors affecting the economic performance of Chinese-migrant microentrepreneurs with a specific focus on social capital. Design/methodology/approach – An interpretative framework that encompasses sustainable local human development and mixed embeddedness is applied to a case study of Wenzhounese migrant socioeconomic quasi-enclave leather industrial sub-clusters located adjacent to the industrial district area of Florence, Italy. Given the complexity of the phenomenon, the research study adopted a mixed-method approach encompassing both qualitative and quantitative methods. The econometric analysis was based on data collected via a survey administered to a random sample of enterprises.

Findings – Ethnic social capital plays a central role in ethnic entrepreneurship. The results confirm the

relevance of social networks in the context analysed and reveal the importance of ethnic and non-ethnic business social capital as one of the main factors affecting enterprise’s economic performance.

Practical implications – The findings propose potential policies to upgrade the ethnic enterprises especially in terms of increasing their formality and inclusion in the Italian social and economic systems of production. Originality/value – This analysis contributes to existing literature on migrant entrepreneurship and communities, adding new evidence related to ethnic enterprises and the importance of social capital in terms of performance and working conditions of the community of entrepreneurs.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHORS]

Clusters: semantically different yet  a panacea for achieving resilient competitiveness

By: P. Bhawsar. Competitiveness Review, DOI: 10.1108/CR-10-2021-0140, April 2022.

Abstract: “Purpose – The paper aims to relook at the notion of competitiveness in the challenging times of pandemic. The failure of global value chains caused many nations despite their state of economic development to struggle for necessary items. The goal of achieving profitability abated by having self-sufficiency, specifically in the manufacturing sector where unlike services, the production processes jolted. Under this backdrop, the paper attempts to project local industry clusters as a panacea for achieving resilient competitiveness. Design/methodology/approach – To explore the credibility of clusters as an important tool to prepare nations towards a resilient future, a correlation between the state of cluster development in a country and its national competitiveness has been tested. Besides, any difference in the notion of state of cluster development between least developing countries, developing countries and developed countries has also been tested. The paper uses the data from World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report. Findings – Strong support for the research hypothesis has been found. High positive correlation exists between the state of cluster development and national competitiveness. The state of cluster development is found to be significantly different among three categories of countries. Originality/value – Clusters have been promoted in academic literature, policy circles and the business community for many advantages. This paper is a novice attempt to showcase these can serve as an instrument to prepare economies for self-sufficiency and a resilient future by performing an objective evaluation.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the road to Industry 4.0 in manufacturing  clusters: the role of business support organizations

By: W. Dyba, V. De Marchi. Competitiveness Review, DOI: 10.1108/CR-09-2021-0126, May 2022.

Abstract: “Purpose – This paper aims to explore the role of business support organisations (BSO) in overcoming barriers to the adoption of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies, especially in disseminating knowledge on such technologies among cluster firms. Design/methodology/approach – The study is based on in-depth interviews conducted in 2021 with representatives of BSO in three manufacturing clusters (furniture, metal and automotive) in the Wielkopolska region in Poland. Findings – Companies in clusters face important barriers impeding the adoption of I4.0 technologies, in particular, the unawareness of the characteristics and potential of those technologies. BSO might be particularly helpful in overcoming this barrier by supporting knowledge dissemination among companies. This study’s analyses suggest they can do so in three roles: as knowledge gatekeepers, as brokers of purposeful knowledge transfer and as facilitators of spontaneous knowledge diffusion. Evidence suggests that different types of organisations are more likely to be associated with each of these three roles, despite such a combination of the three often being in one place: public agencies are gatekeeping, selecting and passing on certain knowledge on I4.0; research-oriented organisations (such as technology parks) play a knowledge transfer brokerage role; industry associations and cluster initiatives are actively facilitating spontaneous knowledge diffusion. Originality/value – This paper is a contribution to the emerging literature on digital transformations of clusters by investigating the difficulties preventing firms from adopting I4.0 technologies and the roles BSO can take on to support overcoming them.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHORS]

Evolving industrial  districts and changing innovation patterns: the case of Montreal 

By E. Turkina, B. Oreshkin. Competitiveness Review, DOI: 10.1108/CR-11-2021-0165, April 2022.

Abstract: “Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the evolution of the phenomenon of industrial districts and explores the broader regional innovation systems that consist of multiple industrial districts. Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses a combination of network analysis and patent analysis techniques to analyze the social structure of Montreal tech agglomeration and its innovation. Findings – The findings indicate that the cores of modern regional innovation systems are composed of densely collaborating organizations belonging to different industrial clusters, and these organizations are responsible for the most radical innovations. The analysis also reveals the importance of brokers and international ties in generating radical innovations. Research  limitations/implications – The findings of our paper extend the initial concept of industrial district and call for the need to no longer focus exclusively on individual clusters, but to take into consideration broader competitive regional innovation systems that are composed of multiple clusters. The current trend of the core of such systems to be composed of organizations from multiple clusters indicates that the traditional understanding of industrial district confined to the borders of specific industry is no longer relevant and there is a need to revise the conceptualization of clusters and further analyze the social fabric of broader regional innovation systems. In future, such intense collaboration within the core of the regional innovation system network may give rise to new industrial and technological configurations. It is important to further investigate these structures, because they have important implications for innovation and are responsible for new innovation patterns. Practical implications – To boost innovation in specific localities, policymakers could encourage collaboration between different clusters and support interdisciplinary projects and programs. Those would help the local community generate radical innovations. Social implications – Using this research, local policymakers could help local companies understand and explore international markets, as well as focus on attracting multinational firms that are leaders in their respective fields. Finally, local policymakers could further support important cluster intermediaries. Originality/value – This paper offers original contributions to the studies of industrial districts as it explores a competitive ecosystem composed of multiple industrial districts and analyzes how these industrial districts interact and where the most innovative solutions lie in the social fabric of this big ecosystem.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHORS]

Formal cooperation and the  performance of Italian firms operating inside and outside industrial districts

By: J. Canello, F. Vidoli. Regional Studies, DOI: 10.1080/00343404.2022.2054977, May 2022.

Abstract: “This paper discusses the impact of formal cooperation on the performance of Italian firms operating inside and outside industrial districts (IDs). The analysis is focused on a policy tool (Contratti di Rete or network agreements) introduced in Italy to promote the use of non-equity alliances among smaller firms. We claim that the impact of both inward- and outward-looking partnerships is moderated by the local environment in which member firms are embedded. The results show that the benefits from the policy measure are more evident for outward-looking agreements that do not involve ID firms. Inside IDs, firms do not seem to be capable of reaping significant gains from the use of formal cooperation. From a policy perspective, our findings suggest that decision-makers should tailor their interventions to the features of the local economic environment, promoting strategies aimed at maximizing the outcomes of formal cooperation while accounting for geographical differences.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHORS]

International entrepreneurship in Sub-Saharan Africa:  interfirm coordination and local economy dynamics in the informal economy

By: C. Boafo, A. Catanzaro, U. Dornberger. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, DOI: 10.1108/JSBED-02-2021-0065, May 2022.

Abstract: “Purpose – The International Labor Organization (2020) estimates that eight out of ten enterprises (i.e. own-account workers and small economic units) are informal worldwide. However, less is known about the internationalization of informal enterprises. Here, it is argued that economic blocs, such as sub-Saharan Africa, with a greater proportion of informal enterprises, may provide broader societal legitimacy for them to operate internationally. Thus, informal firms would need to collaborate with other firms to overcome their resource constraints. Geographic colocation is one way to facilitate positive interfirm interactions that promote networking and subsequently cooperation. The purpose of this paper is, thus, to addresses two questions. Firstly, how and to what extent does interfirm marketing cooperation in geographic colocation influence the internationalization of micro and small informal manufacturing enterprises? Secondly, how do the perceived benefits of local external economies moderate this relationship? Design/methodology/approach – The study draws evidence from 125 randomly selected informal enterprises located in two major clusters in Ghana, using a mixed-method approach. Findings – The partial least square - structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis applied revealed two central points. Firstly, sharing marketing costs allows informal firms to upgrade their phases of export development directly. Secondly, the linkage of increasing sales activities and local external economies encourages the progress of the phases of export development and the scope of internationalization. Results confirm that the cluster benefits of interfirm cooperation and local external economies on the informal firm internationalization process complement each other in addition to their linear relationship. Originality/value – The study contributes to understanding the nexus of the informal sector, geographic colocation and the entrepreneurial internationalization literature. The results should motivate researchers and policymakers to approach informal firm internationalization through collaborative business activities.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHORS]

Endogenous local labour markets,  regional aggregation and agglomeration economies

By: J. Meekes, W. H. J. Hassink. Regional Studies, DOI: 10.1080/00343404.2022.2050893, April 2022.

Abstract: “We examine the role of spatial unit size in measuring the urban wage premium. Using Dutch administrative data, we define local labour markets (LLMs) based on employees’ commuting outcomes, gender and educational attainment. We show that high-educated employees and male employees have a relatively large LLM. Using a continuum of regional aggregations, we find that urban wage premium estimates increase over the level of aggregation, also for different subgroups of employees. We show that the modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP) does not explain this pattern, consistent with stronger agglomeration externalities at higher regional aggregation levels.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHORS]

The institutional challenges of dynamic regional innovation  strategies 

By: M. J. Aranguren, K. Morgan, J. R. Wilson. Regional Studies, DOI: 10.1080/00343404.2022.2047917, April 2022.

Abstract: “Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3) are widely used to guide place-based innovation policy. However, there is little analysis of the institutional frameworks necessary for implementing multi-actor entrepreneurial discovery processes. This paper explores the evolution of institutions in the Basque Country region over a four-year period. It conceptualizes two levels of institutions: the overall architecture established to pursue an S3; and the micro-processes that emerge to particularize and valorize priorities. The paper highlights lessons relating to the experimentalism of S3, monitoring and evaluation, the engagement of small and medium-sized enterprises and civil society actors, and mechanisms for amplifying the voice of regions.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHORS]

Smart specialisation strategies: towards an outward-looking  approach

By: A. Giustolisi, M. Benner, M. Trippl. European Planning Studies, DOI: 10.1080/09654313.2022.2068950, May 2022.

Abstract: “In recent years, regional innovation policies across Europe have relied on the smart specialisation approach to support new path development. However, its focus on endogenous knowledge flows remains a major weakness of the approach. This article argues that smart specialisation has to adopt an outward-looking approach that combines knowledge flows external and internal to the region. Based on four stylised types of regions, the article proposes generic strategies that can be pursued through smart specialisation. In terms of its policy implications, the article argues

that policymakers should develop their regions’ external connectedness strategically to leverage complementarities in global knowledge flows for new path development.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHORS]