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Seizing Agglomeration's Potential: The Greater Springfield Massachusetts Metalworking Sector in Transition, 1986-1996

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  • Robert Forrant
  • Erin Flynn

Abstract

FORRANT R. and FLYNN E. (1998) Seizing agglomeration's potential: the Greater Springfield Massachusetts metalworking sector in transition, 1986-1996, Reg. Studies 32, 209-222. In the 1980s a dramatic wave of lay-offs and plant closings among western Massachusetts' largest metalworking manufacturers led to rapid industrial decline and massive dislocation for several thousand of the region's workers. Today western Massachusetts is home to a thriving and competitive agglomeration of over 350 small metalworking firms. In an industrial sector known for cut-throat competition, cost-driven business strategies and fierce privacy, western Massachusetts firms stand apart for their openness. Hundreds of workers and managers have participated in group training and seminars over the last several years in topics including blue-print reading, computer numerical control machine tool programming and repair, work flow management and ISO 9000 certification. Western Massachusetts represents a successful case of the 'bootstrapping' approach to local economic development in which new institutions, services and forms of collaboration between and among firms and service providers emerge from a continuous process of engagement and adjustment between public and private actors. The geographic proximity of some three hundred small metalworking firms in western Massachusetts created the possibility for innovative behaviour, but that agglomeration's potential was realized through the conscious and continuous interventions of a committed group of public and private actors. FORRANT R. et FLYNN E. (1998) Capter le potentiel d'une agglomeration: le secteur de la ferronerie en pleine mutation a Greater Springfield dans le Massachusetts, de 1986 a 1996, Reg. Studies 32, 209-222. Aux annees 80 une vague spectaculaire de licenciements et de fermetures parmi les ferroneries les plus importantes situees dans l'ouest du Massachusetts a ameneau declin industriel marqueet au demembrement considerable pour quelque milliers des employes de la region. A l'heure qu'il est, l'ouest du Massachusetts englobe une agglomeration prospere et competitive comportant plus de 350 petites entreprises du secteur de la ferronerie. A la difference des autres entreprises au sein d'un secteur connu pour sa concurrence acharnee, ses strategies commerciales de reduction des frais et voilede mystere, les entreprises situees dans le Massachusetts se caracterisent par leur ouverture. Des centaines d'ouvriers et de cadres ont participeau cours des annees recentes a des stages de formation en groupes et a des seminaires au sujet de la lecture des plans, de la programmation et de la reparation des machines-outils assistees par ordinateur, de la gestion a flux tendus et de l'authentification ISO 9000. L'ouest du Massachusetts represente un cas d'etude reussi de la facon dite 'amorcage' quant au developpement economique local, d'ou l'emergence des institutions, des services et des formes de partenariat nouveaux entre et parmi les entreprises et les prestateurs de services a partir d'un processus continuel d'engagement et d'adjustement entre des agents publics et prives. La proximite geographique des quelque 300 petites entreprises du secteur de la ferronerie situees dans l'ouest du Massachusetts a engendre l'innovation, mais le potentiel de cette agglomeration-ci a ete realise par des interventions reflechies et continues d'un groupe d'agents publics et prives engage. FORRANT R. und FLYNN E. (1998) Die Nutzung des Potentials von Ballungsgebieten: die Metall verarbeitende Industrie von Greater Springfields, Massachusetts, im Ubergang der Jahre 1986-1996, Reg. Studies 32, 209-222. In den achtziger Jahren fuhrte eine dramatische Welle von Betriebsschliessungen und vorubergehender Entlassungen in den grossten Firmen der Metall verarbeitenden Industrie im westlichen Massachusetts zu raschem industriellen Abstieg, und fur einige tausend Arbeiter der Region zu betrachtlichen Harten. Jetzt ist Westmassachusetts Standort eines bluhenden und wettbewerbsfahigen Ballungsgebietes von mehr als 350 kleinen, Metall verarbeitenden Firmen. In diesem Sektor der Industrie, der fur gnadenlosen Wettbewerb bekannt ist, fur von Kosten diktierten Geschaftsstrategien und eifersuchtig gehuteten Firmengeheimnissen, hebt sich Westmassachgusetts durch seine Aufgeschlossenheit hervor. Hunderte von ihren Arbeitern und Leitern haben in den letzten Jahren an Gruppenubungen und Seminaren teilgenommen, einschliesslich Planinterpretation, numerisch Komputer gesteuerter Programmierung und Reparatur von Werkzeugmaschinen, Organisation von Arbeitsablaufen und ISO 9000 Zertifikaten. Westmassachusetts stellt einen Fall erfolgreichen Bemuhens dar, sich ''aus eigener Kraft'' innerhalb einer ortlich umschriebenen Wirtschaftsentwicklung hochzuarbeiten, in der sich neue Institutionen, Dienstleistungen und Formen der Zusammenarbeit zwischen und unter Firmen und Dienstleistungen Anbietenden aus einem nahtlosen Prozess der Zusammenarbeit und Anpassung zwischen offentlicher und privater Geschaftsfuhrung ergeben. Die ramliche Nahe einiger dreihundert kleiner Metall verarbeitender Firmen in Westmassachusetts ermoglichte innovatives Verhalten, doch in die Wirklichkeit umgesetzt wurde Potential durch das bewusste, und anhaltende Eingreifen einer engagierten Gruppe von Personlichkeiten im offentlichen und privaten Geschaftswesen.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Forrant & Erin Flynn, 1998. "Seizing Agglomeration's Potential: The Greater Springfield Massachusetts Metalworking Sector in Transition, 1986-1996," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(3), pages 209-222.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:regstd:v:32:y:1998:i:3:p:209-222
    DOI: 10.1080/00343409850119715
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    References listed on IDEAS

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