From the broad overview of the cluster literature, the proposition emerges that the manipulation of regional economic structural and cluster factor conditions within a geographically proximate region can translate into sustainable regional economic growth outcomes. As a first step in exploring this research, a theoretical framework for the conceptualisation of industry clusters was established and a methodological framework applied to statistically identify major manufacturing value chain clusters in the Eastern Cape Province. This methodology combines a strength-of-linkage measure for all pairs of supply and use sectors (as revealed in the systematic analysis of intermediate purchasing and sales patterns in the South African Final Supply and Use Tables: 2002) with the application of Ward’s hierarchical cluster algorithm to map the national benchmark value chain clusters in the South African national economy. The ensuing national value chain benchmark cluster framework was then transposed to the Eastern Cape Province to reveal cluster concentrations and gaps that exist in the value chain clusters in the province. The methodology applied in this study provides an objective and clear perspective of inter-industry linkages in the South African economy and produces more detailed and evenly distributed clusters than traditional cluster identification methodologies. Secondary linkages were determined for each of the twenty-six core value chain clusters to depict the diversity of sectors linked to the respective core clusters. In transposing the national benchmark value chain cluster framework onto the Eastern Cape Province economy, a number of distinct advantages emerge. Firstly, it reveals gaps in value chain cluster groupings that may be filled through industry recruiting or regional business development strategies. However, not all industries absent from value chain clusters in the region are equally attractive for recruitment. Henceforth, the number of direct and indirect linkages to industries absent from the Eastern Cape Province serves as a measure of their relative attractiveness when considering their recruitment into the region. vi The benchmark value chain cluster framework alone does not explain which agglomeration externalities are generated and exploited within each cluster, but it served as the overarching framework for the remainder of the research. Accordingly, the value chain cluster framework was applied to evidence whether specialisation, competition or diversity (represented by MAR, Porter and Jacobs economies respectively) is the operative mechanism in generating cluster growth in the Eastern Cape Province. Since agglomeration externalities are not directly observable, construct-valid indicators for the various externalities, as well as appropriate mechanisms to empirically assess the statistical relevance of MAR-, Porter and Jacobs economies in stimulating cluster growth, were established. This thesis added to agglomeration literature by disaggregating the standard measure of diversity externalities into two unique diversity indicators, namely supply diversity (SDiv) and use diversity (UDiv). The SDiv- and UDiv coefficients measure the degree to which a value chain cluster’s supplying/user sectoral mix at provincial level differs from that of the cluster grouping at the national level. This distinction between supply-and use diversity developed in this study firstly provides a clearer insight into the relative regional presence of supplying- and using sectors to the various value chain clusters, and secondly, serves as a useful mechanism to regional policymakers in identifying industries that may be targeted for investment into a region. Therefore, by separating the diversity into its two components, a clear distinction can be drawn between the impact of supplying- and using sectors on value chain cluster growth in a particular region. From a narrow perspective, the empirical findings validate both the Marshall Arrow Romer- (small positive impact of regional cluster concentration) and the Jacobs theory (significant positive impact of cluster supply- and use diversity on cluster growth), while it invalidates Porter’s theory (no correlation between competition and cluster performance). The positive effect size recorded between the level of value chain cluster concentration and differential growth indicates that policy makers in the Eastern Cape Province will be well advised to direct growth interventions towards larger concentrated clusters, than towards smaller, incipient value chain clusters. Additionally, vii the effectiveness of targeted inward FDI to the Eastern Cape Province may be raised by evaluating the economic impact against current value chain cluster structure, as well as the effect on the supply- and use diversities of existing value chain clusters in the province. This thesis has also illustrated that value chain clusters that are concentrated in the region, show a positive effect size with the level of supply diversity in the region. Conversely, value chain clusters that reflect high levels of competitiveness record a positive effect size with use diversity. Policy interventions aimed at raising the performance of value chain clusters typified by smaller players in a competitive environment, should therefore consider raising the respective levels of use diversity in the region. This research awakens the proposition that a reliance on a serendipitous approach to generate dynamic externalities is not sufficient, and that certain factor conditions favour the transfer of tacit knowledge between cluster members. Accordingly, this research empirically explored whether statistically significant relationships can be detected between the common cluster elements, or factor conditions, that serve as conduits for the transfer of dynamic externalities and value chain cluster growth in the Eastern Cape Province. The findings indicate that linkages with knowledge generating institutions in the Eastern Cape Province do, albeit to a relatively small extent, have an impact on value chain cluster growth, and validates the assertion that cognitive enhancing institutions contribute to cluster growth. The importance of backward and forward linkages in nurturing regional growth is signified by the moderate effect size recorded by the level of vertical linkages and total value chain cluster growth. Similarly, a moderate effect size was recorded between the level of horizontal linkages and value chain cluster growth, which shows that cooperation amongst competing firms do stimulate cluster and regional growth in the Eastern Cape Province and affirms the proposition that inter-firm linkages on both vertical- and horizontal levels stimulate cluster growth. An expectation was that the institutional framework conditions would have a significant impact on value chain cluster growth in the Eastern Cape Province. However, the empirical findings reflect that the institutional framework conditions have no statistical impact on value chain cluster growth. The study also found a moderate, positive effect size between value chain cluster size (number of employees) and growth, which shows viii that size matters in regional growth. In other words, in contrast to their European counterparts, the larger the number of employees per value chain cluster, the greater the impact on value chain cluster growth in the Eastern Cape Province.

The aim of the thesis is to present the process connected with the identification of industrial clusters and to point out possible methods and instruments that are useable by such identification. The target is not only focussed on description of these methods but also on consideration that the methods are likewise useful in regions of Czech Republic, especially taken into account the existing offer of regional data. The diplom thesis consists of three parts. The first part represents theoretical introduction to clusters' problem. The second part, also the theoretical one, deals widely with quantitative and qualitative methods and with procedures and clasification that belong to these methods. The third part applies the theoretical knowledge into practices. The comparison methods are used in the theoretical part and the methods of analysis, synthesis, comparison and induction are used in the practical part. The diplom thesis brings a quantitative extension of methods that have been used so far when identifying the industrial clusters in Czech Republic. Due to the present trend of prefering the qualitative methods, the extension of quantitative methods could be seen as a retrograde act. But the conditions of Czech Republic tourned out that, in fact, it is a suitable extension of statistical instruments.

Due to rapid environmental change, today's business requires a more collaborative management to ensure positive performance. One of the important means that can help firms adapt successfully to a changing environment is knowledge management. The management of information and knowledge as key to retaining competitive advantage and has recently evolved into a more strategically focused research topic for both business and academic study. Managing knowledge, however, is deemed difficult because many companies recognize the importance of their proprietary knowledge and are not willing to share it freely. Recognizing this weakness, many countries have promoted the development of regional clusters where firms can co-develop their competences and competitive advantage against the world's best competitors by sharing knowledge, resources, and innovative capabilities. Other than industrial clusters, trust is also considered an important factor in knowledge management study. Trust reduces the need to monitor others' behaviors, formalize procedures, and it lowers transaction costs. At the macro level, trust can enhance organizations' core competencies and sustain their competitive advantages through co-evolution. This may occur through the development of group collaborations, cooperative relationships, and networks. The study adopted a field survey research method and used multiple regressions as the data analysis technique. The dependent variable in the study was organizational adaptation, while the independent variables were knowledge management, trust and industrial cluster. Data were collected using survey of key informants from 943 companies. The results of the analysis suggested that knowledge management does have significant influence on organizational adaptation and both industrial cluster and trust impact on organizational learning activities. The major contribution of this study is that it offers a more holistic approach in studying knowledge management by adding a new element: knowledge applying. Moreover, this study offers an initial attempt to test industrial cluster in hopes of advancing the research in management related fields.

Orientador: Eugênio José Zoqui / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecânica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-18T11:01:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Silva_FabioLuisRamosda_M.pdf: 3532055 bytes, checksum: 4ce71c2b86cba55a9d6fd04186ab4f6a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: Mais do que em qualquer indústria, a necessidade de resposta rápida à demanda, flexibilidade para adequação ao mix de produção e confiabilidade nas operações são condições fundamentais em condomínios industriais para se manter um bom nível de atendimento ao cliente. Dentro desse contexto, com estoques reduzidos e lead time muito baixo, o desempenho do fornecedor passa a ser muito mais vulnerável às incertezas do chão de fábrica, incluindo aqui os possíveis problemas na logística. Este trabalho apresenta a aplicação do projeto axiomático no projeto de um sistema de logística interna em um condomínio industrial, estruturando seus requisitos, bem como as soluções para cada um destes requisitos. Estão descritas as soluções aplicadas em um caso real, com foco na movimentação interna do fornecedor, na armazenagem, na programação puxada da produção e na movimentação de materiais para entregas diretas na linha de montagem do cliente. Os indicadores de desempenho medidos pela montadora comprovam o sucesso da abordagem e do projeto definido e implementado pelo autor e sua equipe. A aplicação de conceitos de manufatura enxuta guiam este desenvolvimento / Abstract: The need of rapid response to demand, flexibility to adjust to the mix variation e reliability in the operations become decisive when dealing with an Industrial Condominium in order to obtain a good delivery performance to the client. In a scenario of extremely low inventory and lead time, the performance of a supplier is considerably vulnerable to uncertainties of the shop floor, including here logistics issues. This thesis presents the application the axiomatic design to develop and implement an Internal Logistics System in an "Industrial Condominium", deploying each requirement and also the solutions to meet each requirement. It is presented solutions applied to a real case that focuses on the supplier internal logistics, storage systems, pulled production programming and direct line feeding. Key Performance Indicators measured by the car assembler provide a trustworthy success evidence for the final project and its implementation done by the author and his team. Lean Manufacturing concepts guide this development / Mestrado / Materiais e Processos de Fabricação / Mestre em Engenharia Mecânica

Durante la última década ha aumentado notablemente el interés por China y la multilocalización en el gran gigante asiático, tanto en el campo profesional como en el académico, propiciando el nacimiento de una nueva disciplina en el campo de la administración y dirección de empresas, la multilocalización en China. Las empresas son cada vez más conscientes del papel que China ejerce en su futuro, así como de la necesidad de tenerla presente en su hoja de ruta a fin de lograr una mayor competitividad en el mercado global. En este contexto, se han realizado y se siguen realizando muchos y excelentes trabajos sobre la multilocalización, con notables aportaciones, en especial aquellas relacionadas con sus rendimientos y métodos. Sin embargo, son más bien escasos los trabajos y aportaciones que evalúan los factores que inducen a un rendimiento asimétrico y negativo en la multilocalización de empresas españolas en China. Desde esta última perspectiva el presente estudio realiza una investigación tanto de carácter fundamentalmente explicativo, con el objetivo de obtener información relevante respecto al fenómeno de la gestión de la multilocalización y sus factores asociados en las empresas españolas en China (fenómeno con una reducida muestra), como de carácter exploratorio, ya que es uno de los primeros estudios que busca contrastar su contribución con las teorías existentes en la multilocalización. La tesis se presenta de manera que puede ser entendida como un único tema o como tres líneas de trabajo diferentes respecto a China, ya que aunque toda la investigación gira en torno a la multilocalización en este país, centra su atención en tres factores del proceso diferentes y de carácter crítico. Por tanto, las principales aportaciones del presente trabajo de investigación se han focalizado en la posibilidad de mejorar la efectividad y el rendimiento del proceso de multilocalización en China, elementos de relevancia para políticos, administraciones públicas, directivos e investigadores. En paralelo, se ha constatado cual es el verdadero impacto que tienen ciertos factores en el rendimiento de la multilocalización de empresas españolas en China y finalmente, el estudio proporciona elementos de valor para llevar a cabo una toma de decisiones documentada, el desarrollo de estrategias de empresa o la evaluación de políticas de ayuda para empresas españolas. / Portero Taulet, B. (2013). Factores críticos en la multilocalización de la empresa española: el caso de China [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/32491 / TESIS

published_or_final_version / abstract / Geography / Master / Master of Philosophy

Os aglomerados industriais têm recebido a atenção de pesquisadores e gestores públicos como um meio de obter vantagens competitivas para as empresas de uma região. Na literatura argumenta-se que ambientes com grandes concentrações de empresas de um mesmo setor favorecem a formação de redes de empresas, a troca de conhecimentos e a realização de ações conjuntas. No entanto, ainda não é claro como esses benefícios podem ser alcançados, uma vez que eles requerem confiança e esforços de coordenação entre as partes envolvidas. Trabalhos anteriores enfatizaram a utilização de práticas de gestão de desempenho e conhecimento em aglomerados, como forma de gerenciar a colaboração e, ao mesmo tempo, acumular e disseminar conhecimentos. Como forma de contribuir com a área de gestão em aglomerados, este trabalho realizou um estudo exploratório sobre as práticas de gestão de desempenho e conhecimento que são utilizadas em aglomerados, com o propósito de compreender como ambos os temas se complementam e facilitam o planejamento, coordenação e avaliação de ações conjuntas. A coleta de dados se deu pela realização de estudos de caso em três aglomerados, nos quais foram entrevistados empresários e gestores de associações locais. Alem disso, uma intervenção foi realizada em um desses aglomerados, durante a qual foram desenvolvidas práticas de gestão de desempenho e conhecimento. Os dados revelaram detalhes sobre a dinâmica da gestão de ações conjuntas e sobre a forma como conhecimentos são criados e compartilhados. Isso possibilitou uma maior compreensão da inter-relação entre a gestão de desempenho e conhecimento, revelando que ambos os temas devem ser vistos de forma integrada na gestão de associações locais. Ao final do trabalho, o conhecimento adquirido na pesquisa de campo foi sintetizado sob a forma de diretrizes de gestão, com o propósito de auxiliar gestores envolvidos com associações locais em aglomerados. / Industrial clusters have received considerable attention from researchers and policy makers as a means for achieving regional competitive advantage. It is widely believed in the literature that regional concentrations of firms from the same economic sector facilitate the establishment of organizational networks, knowledge sharing, as well as the implementation of collaborative initiatives. Nevertheless, it is still unclear how these benets can be achieved, since they require trust and coordination eorts from the parties involved. Previous research has underlined the use of performance and knowledge management practices in clusters, as tools to manage collaboration and, concurrently, accumulate and disseminate specialized knowledge. In order to contribute to the body of knowledge on industrial clusters management, it was carried out an exploratory study about the performance and knowledge management practices being used by clusters to understand how both topics mutually contribute to planning, coordinating and assessing collaborative initiatives. Three case studies were conducted as the main sources of data, in which company owners and representatives from local associations were interviewed. Additionally, a six-month intervention was carried out in one of the clusters, during which performance and knowledge management practices where implemented in the local association. The empirical data enables an in-depth analysis about the dynamics of collaborative initiatives management, as well as how knowledge is created and shared among cluster actors. This led to a better understanding about the interplay between performance and knowledge management, revealing that both topics should be viewed in a more integrated fashion when dealing with management in local associations. Finally, the knowledge generated during the eld research was summarized as a set of management guidelines, as a way to provide guidance to managers of local associations.

Os aglomerados industriais têm recebido a atenção de pesquisadores e gestores públicos como um meio de obter vantagens competitivas para as empresas de uma região. Na literatura argumenta-se que ambientes com grandes concentrações de empresas de um mesmo setor favorecem a formação de redes de empresas, a troca de conhecimentos e a realização de ações conjuntas. No entanto, ainda não é claro como esses benefícios podem ser alcançados, uma vez que eles requerem confiança e esforços de coordenação entre as partes envolvidas. Trabalhos anteriores enfatizaram a utilização de práticas de gestão de desempenho e conhecimento em aglomerados, como forma de gerenciar a colaboração e, ao mesmo tempo, acumular e disseminar conhecimentos. Como forma de contribuir com a área de gestão em aglomerados, este trabalho realizou um estudo exploratório sobre as práticas de gestão de desempenho e conhecimento que são utilizadas em aglomerados, com o propósito de compreender como ambos os temas se complementam e facilitam o planejamento, coordenação e avaliação de ações conjuntas. A coleta de dados se deu pela realização de estudos de caso em três aglomerados, nos quais foram entrevistados empresários e gestores de associações locais. Alem disso, uma intervenção foi realizada em um desses aglomerados, durante a qual foram desenvolvidas práticas de gestão de desempenho e conhecimento. Os dados revelaram detalhes sobre a dinâmica da gestão de ações conjuntas e sobre a forma como conhecimentos são criados e compartilhados. Isso possibilitou uma maior compreensão da inter-relação entre a gestão de desempenho e conhecimento, revelando que ambos os temas devem ser vistos de forma integrada na gestão de associações locais. Ao final do trabalho, o conhecimento adquirido na pesquisa de campo foi sintetizado sob a forma de diretrizes de gestão, com o propósito de auxiliar gestores envolvidos com associações locais em aglomerados. / Industrial clusters have received considerable attention from researchers and policy makers as a means for achieving regional competitive advantage. It is widely believed in the literature that regional concentrations of firms from the same economic sector facilitate the establishment of organizational networks, knowledge sharing, as well as the implementation of collaborative initiatives. Nevertheless, it is still unclear how these benets can be achieved, since they require trust and coordination eorts from the parties involved. Previous research has underlined the use of performance and knowledge management practices in clusters, as tools to manage collaboration and, concurrently, accumulate and disseminate specialized knowledge. In order to contribute to the body of knowledge on industrial clusters management, it was carried out an exploratory study about the performance and knowledge management practices being used by clusters to understand how both topics mutually contribute to planning, coordinating and assessing collaborative initiatives. Three case studies were conducted as the main sources of data, in which company owners and representatives from local associations were interviewed. Additionally, a six-month intervention was carried out in one of the clusters, during which performance and knowledge management practices where implemented in the local association. The empirical data enables an in-depth analysis about the dynamics of collaborative initiatives management, as well as how knowledge is created and shared among cluster actors. This led to a better understanding about the interplay between performance and knowledge management, revealing that both topics should be viewed in a more integrated fashion when dealing with management in local associations. Finally, the knowledge generated during the eld research was summarized as a set of management guidelines, as a way to provide guidance to managers of local associations.

<p>The economic importance of design-intensive and cultural-products industries has grown in recent decades. One case in point is Sweden, where internationally competitive industries have emerged in areas such as multimedia, fashion, and music. During the 1990s, research in economic geography and related disciplines concerned with the link between geographical location and competitive advantage has found an important source of inspiration in the cluster approach. The thesis examines the relationship between spatial clustering and industrial competitive-ness by undertaking a series of empirical studies that explore various dimensions of the Swedish music industry. The thesis demonstrates that the Swedish music industry embraces a multitude of actors in a complex, spatially clustered production system characterised by dense social networks, which transcend individual firms. Processes and mechanisms that have enhanced the creation and diffusion of strategic knowledge as well as co-operative competition further promote the competitiveness of this cluster. Moreover, the thesis demonstrates that it is necessary to carefully consider the relation between the local milieu and the global music industrial production and distribution system in order to fully understand competitiveness in the music industry. Finally, the thesis examines how the cluster concept has been put into practice in Swedish industrial and regional policies concerning cultural industries.</p>

The economic importance of design-intensive and cultural-products industries has grown in recent decades. One case in point is Sweden, where internationally competitive industries have emerged in areas such as multimedia, fashion, and music. During the 1990s, research in economic geography and related disciplines concerned with the link between geographical location and competitive advantage has found an important source of inspiration in the cluster approach. The thesis examines the relationship between spatial clustering and industrial competitive-ness by undertaking a series of empirical studies that explore various dimensions of the Swedish music industry. The thesis demonstrates that the Swedish music industry embraces a multitude of actors in a complex, spatially clustered production system characterised by dense social networks, which transcend individual firms. Processes and mechanisms that have enhanced the creation and diffusion of strategic knowledge as well as co-operative competition further promote the competitiveness of this cluster. Moreover, the thesis demonstrates that it is necessary to carefully consider the relation between the local milieu and the global music industrial production and distribution system in order to fully understand competitiveness in the music industry. Finally, the thesis examines how the cluster concept has been put into practice in Swedish industrial and regional policies concerning cultural industries.