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Knowledge, Innovation and Institutions: Global and Local Dimensions of the ICT Cluster in Waterloo, Canada

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  • Allison Bramwell
  • Jen Nelles
  • David Wolfe

Abstract

Bramwell A., Nelles J. and Wolfe D. A. Knowledge, innovation and institutions: global and local dimensions of the ICT cluster in Waterloo, Canada, Regional Studies. This paper presents research findings on the information and communication technology (ICT) cluster in Waterloo, Ontario. Cluster dynamics in Canada do not conform to some of the key assumptions in the literature on clusters that emphasize the importance of local intra-cluster dynamics based on inter-firm linkages at the local level. The results of this case study indicate that many inter-firm linkages in the Waterloo ICT cluster are non-local, and that extra-firm institutional supports, such as the local university and industry association, are critical in sustaining and strengthening the cluster. Knowledge-based cluster theories that emphasize the role of local and global knowledge flows and learning processes, and the interaction effect of civic capital and local institutions in supporting the development of a local 'learning economy', provide more compelling explanations for the resilience of the ICT cluster in Waterloo, Ontario. [image omitted] Bramwell A., Nelles J. et Wolfe D. A. La connaissance, l'innovation, et les institutions: les dimensions mondiales et locales de la grappe TIC a Waterloo, au Canada, Regional Studies. Cet article cherche a presenter les resultats des recherches effectuees sur la grappe de technologie de l'information et de la communication (TIC) a Waterloo, dans l'Ontario. Au Canada, la dynamique de grappes ne se conforme pas a quelques-unes des suppositions cle de la documentation sur les grappes qui met l'accent sur l'importance de la dynamique locale des grappes fondee sur les rapports interentreprises d'envergure locale. Les resultats de cette etude de cas indiquent que beaucoup des rapports interentreprises de la grappe TIC a Waterloo ne sont pas locaux et que le soutien institutionnel externe, tel l'universite locale et les relations industrielles, s'avere indispensable pour maintenir et consolider la grappe. Les theories de grappes fondees sur la notion de connaissance et soulignant le role des flux de connaissance locale et mondiale et des processus d'apprentissage, et l'impact de l'interaction du capital municipal et des institutions locales dans le but de soutenir le developpement d'une 'economie d'apprentissage' locale, fournissent des explications indiscutables de la faculte de reprise de la grappe TIC a Waterloo, dans l'Ontario. Dynamique de grappes Technologie de l'information et de la communication Competitivite Economie d'apprentissage Amenagement du territoire Bramwell A., Nelles J. und Wolfe D. A. Wissen, Innovation und Institutionen: globale und lokale Dimensionen des Clusters fur Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie in Waterloo (Kanada), Regional Studies. In diesem Beitrag werden die Ergebnisse der Forschung uber den Cluster fur Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie in Waterloo (Ontario, Kanada) vorgestellt. Die Dynamik der Cluster in Kanada entspricht nicht einigen der zentralen Annahmen in der Literatur uber Cluster, in denen die Bedeutung lokaler, clusterinterner Dynamiken auf der Grundlage von Verknupfungen zwischen den Firmen auf lokaler Ebene betont wird. Die Ergebnisse dieser Fallstudie weisen darauf hin, dass viele Verknupfungen zwischen den Firmen im Cluster fur Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie von Waterloo nicht lokaler Natur sind und dass eine institutionelle Unterstutzung ausserhalb der Firmen (zum Beispiel durch den lokalen Universitats- und Industrieverband) eine wichtige Rolle beim Erhalt und der Starkung des Clusters spielen. Wissensbasierte Clustertheorien, in denen die Rolle der lokalen und globalen Wissensstrome und Lernprozesse betont wird, und der Wechselwirkungseffekt des Burgerkapitals und der lokalen Institutionen zur Unterstutzung der Entwicklung einer lokalen, Lernwirtschaft' bieten uberzeugendere Erklarungen fur die Bestandigkeit des Clusters fur Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie in Waterloo. Clusterdynamik Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie Konkurrenzfahigkeit Lernwirtschaft Regionale Wirtschaftsentwicklung Bramwell A., Nelles J. y Wolfe D. A. Conocimiento, innovacion e instituciones: dimensiones globales y locales de la aglomeracion de TIC en Waterloo, Canada, Regional Studies. En este articulo presentamos los resultados sobre la aglomeracion de las tecnologias de la informacion y la comunicacion (TIC) en Waterloo, Ontario. Las dinamicas de aglomeracion en Canada no cumplen con algunos supuestos basicos en la literatura sobre aglomeraciones que recalcan la importancia de dinamicas intracumulares basados en los vinculos entre empresas a nivel local. Los resultados de este caso practico indican que muchas vinculos entre empresas en la aglomeracion de las TIC en Waterloo no son locales y que estos apoyos institucionales de otras empresas, tales como la asociacion local entre la universidad y la industria, son de vital importancia para sostener y reforzar la aglomeracion. Las teorias de aglomeracion basadas en el conocimiento que destacan el papel del flujo de conocimiento local y global y los procesos de aprendizaje, y el efecto de interaccion de la capital civica y las instituciones locales en apoyar el desarrollo de una 'economia de aprendizaje' local ofrecen explicaciones mas convincente para la capacidad de recuperacion de la aglomeracion de las TIC en Waterloo, Ontario. Dinamicas de aglomeracion Tecnologia de la informacion y la comunicacion Competitividad Economia de aprendizaje Desarrollo economico regional

Suggested Citation

  • Allison Bramwell & Jen Nelles & David Wolfe, 2008. "Knowledge, Innovation and Institutions: Global and Local Dimensions of the ICT Cluster in Waterloo, Canada," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(1), pages 101-116.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:regstd:v:42:y:2008:i:1:p:101-116
    DOI: 10.1080/00343400701543231
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    1. Ben Spigel, 2017. "Bourdieu, culture, and the economic geography of practice: entrepreneurial mentorship in Ottawa and Waterloo, Canada," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 17(2), pages 287-310.
    2. Yasuyuki Motoyama & Susan Clark Muntean & Karren Knowlton & Banu Ozkazanc-Pan, 2021. "Causes of the gender divide within entrepreneurship ecosystems," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 36(3), pages 187-204, May.
    3. Selina Phan & Evan Cleave & Godwin Arku, 2020. "Innovation within the Context of Local Economic Development and Planning: Perspectives of City Practitioners," Urban Planning, Cogitatio Press, vol. 5(3), pages 364-377.
    4. Justin Doran & Declan Jordan & Eoin O'Leary, 2012. "The Effects of National and International Interaction on Innovation: Evidence from the Irish CIS: 2004--06," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(5), pages 371-390, July.
    5. Justin Doran & Declan Jordan & Eoin O’Leary, 2012. "The effects of the frequency of spatially proximate and distant interaction on innovation by Irish SMEs," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(7-8), pages 705-727, September.
    6. Yibo Lyu & Quanshan Liu & Binyuan He & Jingfei Nie, 2017. "Structural embeddedness and innovation diffusion: the moderating role of industrial technology grouping," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 111(2), pages 889-916, May.
    7. Emilio Camarena-Gil & Carlos Garrigues & Francisco Puig, 2020. "Innovating in the textile industry: An uncoordinated dance between firms and their territory?," Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, Fundacja Upowszechniająca Wiedzę i Naukę "Cognitione", vol. 16(3), pages 47-76.
    8. Heira Georgina Valdez-Bocanegra & Gonzalo Maldonado-Guzmán & Ricardo Valdez-González, 2020. "Effects of Innovation on Competitiveness and Performance: Empirical Evidence in the State of Guanajuato in Mexico," Advances in Management and Applied Economics, SCIENPRESS Ltd, vol. 10(3), pages 1-4.
    9. Toni Ahlqvist, 2014. "Building Innovation Excellence of World Class: The Cluster as an Instrument of Spatial Governance in the European Union," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(5), pages 1712-1731, September.
    10. Bramwell, Allison & Wolfe, David A., 2008. "Universities and regional economic development: The entrepreneurial University of Waterloo," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(8), pages 1175-1187, September.
    11. Tijs Creutzberg & Darius Ornston & David A Wolfe, 2024. "Sector connectors, specialists and scrappers: How cities use civic capital to compete in high-technology markets," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 61(3), pages 549-566, February.
    12. Selina Phan & Evan Cleave & Godwin Arku, 2020. "Innovation within the Context of Local Economic Development and Planning: Perspectives of City Practitioners," Urban Planning, Cogitatio Press, vol. 5(3), pages 364-377.
    13. Ayda Eraydin, 2014. "The importance of endogenous capacities and government support in the resilience of regions," ERSA conference papers ersa14p1308, European Regional Science Association.
    14. Barbara Jankowska, 2010. "Internacjonalizacja klastrów," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 5-6, pages 19-40.
    15. Andrea Caragliu & Camilla Lenzi & Andrea Caragliu, 2013. "Dynamics of knowledge diffusion: the ICT sector in Lombardy," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 5(4), pages 453-473, November.
    16. Liviu Ciucan-Rusu & Valentina Vasile & Daniel Stefan & Calin-Adrian Comes & Anamari-Beatrice Stefan & Mihai Timus & Anca Oltean & Elena Bunduchi & Maria-Alexandra Popa, 2022. "Consumers Behavior Determinants on Online Local Market Platforms in COVID-19 Pandemic—A Probit Qualitative Analysis," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(22), pages 1-17, November.
    17. Ren Lu & Torger Reve & Jing Huang & Ze Jian & Mei Chen, 2018. "A Literature Review Of Cluster Theory: Are Relations Among Clusters Important?," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(4), pages 1201-1220, September.
    18. Kenney, Martin & Patton, Donald, 2011. "Does inventor ownership encourage university research-derived entrepreneurship? A six university comparison," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(8), pages 1100-1112, October.
    19. Hasan Engin Duran & Ugo Fratesi, 2023. "Economic resilience and regionally differentiated cycles: Evidence from a turning point approach in Italy," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 102(2), pages 219-252, April.
    20. Mete Basar Baypinar, 2016. "Evolution of ICT and software industry: Crisis, resilience and the role of emerging clusters," ERSA conference papers ersa16p232, European Regional Science Association.

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