Factors facilitating upgrading process of knowledge-intensive business services' clusters in global value chains

The aim of this article is to describe the factors that facilitate upgrading process of knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) clusters in global value chains. The observed phenomenon which can be described as an increase in value added produced by KIBS leads to a similar increase at the clusters’ level, and consequently to an increase in the position of these clusters in global value chains. This topic constitutes a new research area. The available definitions of clusters were reviewed. The nature and specificity of knowledge-intensive business services’ clusters were presented. The concepts of upgrading and global value chains were defined and the idea of upgrading of KIBS’ clusters in global value chains were presented. As a result of the literature analysis, endogenous and exogenous factors influencing the upgrading of clusters in global value chains were presented. The article is conceptual and based on scientific literature, the review of which was a research method used

Firms’ Clustering and SEE Export Performance: Lessons from the Italian Experience

Like all transition economies, South Eastern Europe (SEE) countries stand to gain most from an export-led growth. Unfortunately, though, productive structure in these countries is largely made up of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that, due to their limited size, may face obstacles to gain access to international markets. A possible way out of the conundrum is for SMEs to cluster together and, by sharing the costs of internationalization, jointly tap foreign markets. This approach has been at the heart of the successful export performance of SMEs clustered within Italy’s industrial districts. In this paper we use historical data on Italian exports (in 1971 and 1961) to quantify the boosting effect due to firms’ clustering. In particular, we use detailed data on export classified by sector and by destination country to estimate a panel gravity model on which we compute the firms’ clustering effect. Next, building on the Italian experience we design four scenarios for firms’ clustering in three SEE economies (Bulgaria, Romania and Slovenia). By means of these scenarios and applying the estimated coefficient for firms’ clustering in Italy, we simulate the firms’ clustering effect for the three SEE economies and obtain the gain in export growth over the benchmark case. Results show that an additional export growth between 3% and 11% over a five- year period could be expected.

Survey of the literature on innovation and economic performance

Despite very strong differences in their treatment of technological change in economic theory, both the neoclassical and the more Schumpetarian (and evolutionary) economic approaches often assume that market selection rewards the most innovative firms. However, despite such strong assumptions, empirical evidence on whether innovative firms perform better than non-innovative firms remains inconclusive. If innovators do not grow more, does this imply that market selection fails? And does the different impact of innovation on industrial performance (measured by firm growth and profitability) and financial performance (measured by market value and stock returns) signal differences in how industrial and financial markets react to firm level efforts around innovation? This discussion paper reviews the literature on the interaction between innovation and economic/financial performance, and outlines the way that work within FINNOV Work Package 2 (SELECTION), Co-Evolution of Industry Dynamics and Financial Dynamics, will contribute to better understanding this interaction

The strategic impact of META-NET on the regional, national and international level

This article provides an overview of the dissemination work carried out in META-NET from 2010 until early 2014; we describe its impact on the regional, national and international level, mainly with regard to politics and the situation of funding for LT topics. This paper documents the initiative’s work throughout Europe in order to boost progress and innovation in our field.Postprint (published version

The impact of Digital Platforms on Business Models: an empirical investigation on innovative start-ups

Digital platforms have the ability to connect people, organizations and resources with the aim of facilitating the core interactions between businesses and consumers as well as assuring a greater efficiency for the business management. New business concepts, such as innovative start-ups, are therefore created based on innovation, scalability and the relationships within the community around them. The purpose of this work is to deeply understand the evolution of business models brought by innovative and dynamic companies operating through online platforms. In order to achieve the objectives set, an exploratory multiple-case study was designed based on in-depth structured interviews. The aim was to conduct a mixed analysis, in order to rely both on qualitative and quantitative data. The structured interview protocol was therefore designed to collect and then analyse data concerning the company profile and managers’ perspectives on the phenomenon of interest. The interview protocol was submitted in advance and then face-to-face interviews were carried out with the following professional figures: Chief Executive Officer (CEO), General Manager, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Marketing Manager and Developers. Collected data were analysed and processed through the Canvas Business Model in order to clearly outline similarities and differences among the sample. Results can be considered under two viewpoints. On the one hand, this work provides a detailed overview of the companies interviewed, according to the dimensions of: reference market dynamics, type and number of customers, scalability. On the other one, they allow to identify some success patterns regarding key activities, key resources, channel mix strategy, costs management, value proposition, customer segmentation, key partners and the way to obtain revenues. Results from the multiple-case study with 15 Italian start-ups provide interesting insights by comparing the innovative business models developed and highlighting key differences and similarities. verall, the start-ups analyzed, operating in several sectors, showed great growth prospects and the possibility to create value for their customers through innovative products and services offered through digital platforms

The strategic impact of META-NET on the regional, national and international level

This article provides an overview of the dissemination work carried out in META-NET from 2010 until 2015; we describe its impact on the regional, national and international level, mainly with regard to politics and the funding situation for LT topics. The article documents the initiative's work throughout Europe in order to boost progress and innovation in our field.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Michael Porter's Cluster Theory as a local and regional development tool – the rise and fall of cluster policy in the UK

There has been much written on industrial agglomeration, but it is Michael Porter’s cluster theory, above all others, which has come to dominate local and regional economic development policy. His work has been adopted by the OECD, EU, national and local governments the world over. He and his consultancy group have led reviews of national economic growth strategies in dozens of countries. This rise to prominence, however, is in the face of widespread critique from academics. Cluster theory’s theoretical foundations, its methodological approach and practical implementation have all been unpicked, leading some to label little more than a successful brand riding the wave of new regionalist fashions. Despite libraries of incredibly useful books and articles on clusters, there remains an absence of work which interrogates the translation of clusters into, and then through local and national policy. The aim of this article is to go some way to remedying the situation by examining the influence of Porter’s cluster theory charted through an examin- ation of UK regional development policy in the 1990s and 2000s. To help map the journey of clusters into and through UK economic development policy actor-network theory is adopted as an explanatory framework

ERM Quarterly, Quarter 1, April 2015

In this issue • Restructuring support measures in focus: Supporting access to finance • Case in focus: Job creation at Deutsche Post DHL • Sector in focus: Job loss at Poczta Polsk

Defining and assessing the transformational nature of smart city governance: Insights from four European cases

Smart cities are a new approach to urban development based on the extensive use of information and communication technologies and on the promotion of environmental sustainability, economic development and innovation. The article is aimed at discussing whether the adoption of a smart city approach entails the transformation of existing institutional structures and administrative practices. To this end, four cases of European smart cities are analysed: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Turin and Vienna. The article describes their models of governance, investigates the level of transformation that occurred in their governmental structures, outlines the main drawbacks and identifies possible connections with the emergent paradigm of the New Public Governance