industrial districts structure and chances for innovation: an empirical experience
DESCRIPTION
Conference: Industrial Districts Structure and Chances for Innovation: An Empirical Experience. Gabaldón-Estevan, D.; Fernández-de.Lucio I.; Tortajada-Esparza, E.; 5th Triple Helix Conference. The Capitalization of Knowledge: cognitive, economic, social & cultural aspects, Turin (Italy) 18-21 May 2005TRANSCRIPT
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Daniel Gabaldón-EstevanDaniel Gabaldón-EstevanDaniel Gabaldón-EstevanDaniel Gabaldón-Estevan
Industrial Districts’ Structureand Chances for Innovation:
An Empirical Experience
Industrial Districts’ Structureand Chances for Innovation:
An Empirical Experience
Ignacio Fernández-de-LucioIgnacio Fernández-de-LucioIgnacio Fernández-de-LucioIgnacio Fernández-de-Lucio
Enrique Tortajada-EsparzaEnrique Tortajada-EsparzaEnrique Tortajada-EsparzaEnrique Tortajada-Esparza
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Global Trends
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Production of the Main Producers
35,57%
11,03%
10,26%
8,6%
3,9%
2,74%
2,69%
25,2%
China
Spain
Italy
Brazil
Indonesia
Turkey
Mexico
Other
2002 Total Production: 5.904 millions of S.M.
(ASCER 2003)
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Consumption of the Main Producers
32,25%
6,03%
3,45%
8,04%2,03%
43,96%
China
Spain
Italy
Brazil
Indonesia
Turkey
Mexico
Other
2002 Total Consumption: 5.426 millions of S.M.
1,66%
2,6%
(ASCER 2003)
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7,22%
25,7%
31,62%
5,2%
3,61%
5,2%
2,38%
19,06%
China
Spain
Italy
Brazil
Indonesia
Turkey
Mexico
Other
2002 Total Exports: 1.385 millions of S.M.
Exports of the Main Producers
(ASCER 2003)
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Research Purpose
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Purpose
How does the structure in a given Industrial District influence its innovative capacity?
Case study of the two most important ceramic tile industrial districts in Europe:
Sassuolo (Italy) & Castellon (Spain)
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Theoretical framework
We follow Nelson’s (Nelson, 1993) primary typology of enterprises attending the characterisation of their technical change process:
Type A enterprises are producers of the commodityType B enterprises, namely providers of technology and advanced services
B1 complex systems producersB2 chemical products producers
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Hypotheses
H1 innovation in a given industrial district is strongly dependent on the structure of the district in terms of the kind of enterprises that compose it.
H2 the innovative capacity of a district depends on the strength of the relations that the type B enterprises in that district have with other type B enterprises in other geographically close districts.
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Methodology
Semi-structured interviews were maintained with representatives of the ceramic industrial districts of both countries including:– Managers from either ceramic,
electromechanical or glaze companies; – Representatives of employers and
workers associations; – Representatives of public institutions
specialized in technology or trade; – Responsible of research institutions
directly responsible for R&D for the industry;
– Academics whose work had intensively been focussed on the issue.
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Elements in the Tile Production Process
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Main elements in the value chain
Tile Production
Distribution & Consumption
Machinery & Equipments
Glaze & Colour
Raw Material Extraction
Design
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Production typology in 2002
Italy Spain
Porcelanic tile
329.379
54,4%
55.335 8,5%
Enamel
453.502
74,9%
608.034
93,4%
Not Enamel
151.975
25,1%
42.966 6,6%
Wall tile
122.306
20,2%
240.870
37,0%
Floor tile
438.171
72,4%
410.130
63,0%
Total
605.477
651.000
(ASCER 2003)
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Main elements in the value chain
Tile Production
Distribution & Consumption
Machinery & Equipments
Glaze & Colour
Raw Material Extraction
Design
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Firms and employment in 2003
Italy Spain
Firms 315 294
Employees 30.264 25.200
Employees/Firm
96,1 85,7
(ASCER and ASSOPIASTRELLE )
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The Sectoral Innovation System
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Sectoral Innovation System
Legal & Institutional framework
Productive environment
Scientific environment
Technological and advanced services providers’ environment
(Adapted from Fernandez-de-Lucio et al. 1996 )
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Institutional Environment
CASTELLON
The associative level is fragmented (ASCER, ANFFECC, ASEBEC, ALICER, ANDIMAC, AFPE and ATC) and although ASCER is the most important actor, it is not as predominant as its Italian counterparts Assopiastrelle.
Relevance of Cevisama and QUALICER as international events.
There are no direct policies towards supporting the sector although a good institutional disposition is observed.
SASSUOLO
The associative level is concentrated mainly around Assopiastrelle and ACIMAC.
Leader position of Cersaie and Tecnargilla.
There are no direct policies towards supporting the sector and the institutional disposition is weaker.
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Scientific Environment
CASTELLON
Important role of the Jaume I University (UJI) training Chemist and Chemist Engineers. Deficient commercial and management training. Inadequate Industrial Engineering training.
Research is developed by the ICV (Ceramic and Glass Institute), the ITC (Technological Institute of Ceramics) and the UJI (Jaume I University).
SASSUOLO
The Modena and Reggio Emilia University only recently offer degrees on Chemistry and Ceramic Engineering, being more experienced on Business Administration and on Industrial Engineering training.
Less research is done in the Italian scientific environment, and it is carried by the CCB (Ceramic Centre of Bolonia).
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Technological and Advanced Services Providers’ Environment
CASTELLON
Technological innovation is driven by the glaze sub sector and assisted by the ITC (Technological Institute of Ceramics).
Central role of the ITC on education and on process innovations.
Education on chemistry and cooperation from the ATC (Ceramic Technicians Association) is remarkable.
SASSUOLO
Technological innovation is driven and supported by the capital goods sub sector and design studios.
The role of the CCB (Ceramic Centre of Bolonia) although being important is not as central as its Spanish counterpart.
Excellence on design, business administration and commercialization.
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Productive Environment
CASTELLON
Small and Medium Enterprises flexible and dinamic.
Low specialisation, most companies undertake all product typologies.
Relative vertical integration within companies.
Family founded firms, decisions are still adopted by the owner or main shareholder.
Small inter-firm collaboration on R&D projects. Subcontracting is considerable.
Weakness on the high market segment positioning.
SASSUOLO
Bigger ceramic holdings less dynamic than their Spanish counterparts.
Higher product specialisation.
Weak vertical integration within companies.
Decisions are adopted by shareholders on steering committees adopting a more management like approach.
Stronger tile firms implication on the Sectorial Innovation System articulation.
Leadership on main markets.
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Environmental Interactions
CASTELLON
Information flows between the UJI, the ITC, the glaze companies, and the ceramic companies, and is reinforced by the mobility of and relationship between graduates.
The internationalization of the Spanish district with the Italian one is trough the relationship between the Spanish ceramists and tne Italian capital goods providers.
Predominant role of the institutional actors.
SASSUOLO
Dense network of actors invigorated by the capital goods companies..
The internationalization of the Italian district with the Spanish one is trough the relation of the Itañian ceramist with the Spanish glaze providers.
Predominant role of the business associations.
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Innovation within the district
CASTELLON
Few relevant innovations both of product and process, more frequent in design and carried out by glaze firms.
Too much dependent on capital goods providers and glaze firms.
Lower innovative tension than their Italians counterparts.
SASSUOLO
Frequent product and process innovations driven by their leading position in capital goods.
Try not to be excessively dependent on providers.
Continuous search on new tile uses.
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Relations between agents of different districts in Emilia-Romagna
(Istituto per la
Promozione Industriale
2002 )
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Conclusions
1) similar level of competition within the districts of both countries but a much weaker cooperation in the Spanish one.
2) scarcity of technology and advanced services providers in the Spanish district relegates it to a follower role in the process of innovation adoption.
3) presence of cross-sector technology enterprises in the Italian district, raises the innovative tension because of the technology diffusion across districts, and it is favoured by the mobility of qualified workers.
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INGENIO (CSIC-UPV)Camino de Vera s/n46022 ValenciaSPAIN
www.ingenio.upv.es
Turin 18/05/2005
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