Nick Clifton

Social capital, firm embeddedness and regional development

Cooke P., Clifton N. and Oleaga M. (2005) Social capital, firm embeddedness and regional development, Regional Studies 39 , 1065–1077. This paper presents the results of a research project examining the effects of social capital on the performance of small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in 12 UK regions. It first investigates the association between performance and social capital use at the firm level, then it seeks to move beyond the confines of the individual firm in order to relate these ‘firm capabilities’ findings to the meso‐level to assess regional economic performance in relation to social capital. The research on the conscious use by firms of ‘relational embeddedness’ in markets shows this to be an important indicator of SME performance, but not conclusively of regional economic performance measured in terms of regional competitiveness.

THE "CREATIVE CLASS" IN THE UK: AN INITIAL ANALYSIS

Abstract. Richard Florida argues that regional economic outcomes are tied to the underlying conditions that facilitate creativity and diversity. Thus the Creative Class thesis suggests that the ability to attract creativity and to be open to diverse groups of people of different ethnic, racial and lifestyle groups provides distinct advantages to regions in generating innovations, growing and attracting high‐technology industries, and spurring economic growth. In this paper we investigate the extent to which there might be similar processes concerning the relationship between creativity, human capital, and high‐technology industries at work in the UK as in North America. The approach taken is broadly sympathetic to the Creative Class thesis; critical perspectives and reservations from the literature are introduced as appropriate research is focused around the three principal research questions: Where is the creative class located in the UK? What is the impact of quality of place upon this dispersion? What is the connection between the location of the creative class and inequalities in technical and economic outcomes within the UK? To this end, the creative class and its subgroups are defined and identified. We then construct quality of place indicators relating to tolerance, diversity, creativity and cultural opportunity. To these are added measures of public provision and social cohesion. Data are analysed by means of correlations and regression. In general we find that, although the distribution of the creative class is uneven and complex, our results are consistent with the findings of the North American research with the notable exception of technology‐based employment growth. Finally, priorities for further research are discussed. The need to further investigate causality, variations within the creative class itself, and the potential role of qualitative data in this are highlighted, as is the potential fate of “non‐creative” workers and places.

Visionary, precautionary and constrained ‘varieties of devolution’ in the economic governance of the devolved UK territories

Cooke P. and Clifton N. (2005) Visionary, precautionary and constrained ‘varieties of devolution’ in the economic governance of the devolved UK territories, Regional Studies 39 , 437–451. This paper explores economic development financing and action, an important policy arena if lesser expenditure field in the devolved administrations. It sets evolution of this in historical and theoretical context. Since devolution in 1999, manufacturing job loss has been a common fear in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales as the UK government, even from 1997, pursued a strong sterling policy outside the Eurozone. In Northern Ireland, development options have been further constrained by suspension of Stormont, and Whitehall demands to reduce public administration. In Scotland a bold ‘knowledge economy’ strategy is evolving around endogenous growth; while in Wales, the Welsh Development Agency and other ‘quangos’ are to be absorbed into the Assembly government as elements of an endogenous innovation system policy falter. Simultaneously, public administration employment has grown particularly rapidly in Wales as the Assembly Government has perforce swiftly absorbed Keynesian counter‐cyclical resources from the UK government.

Location, location, location: exploring the complex relationship between creative industries and place

ABSTRACT This special issue is concerned with developing a better understanding of the dynamics that affect the relationship between creative industries and their geographical context. A wide literature has attempted to explain the general characteristics of ‘creative places’; nevertheless, there is still little knowledge of the micro-interactions that creative practitioners and businesses establish within specific local contexts. The papers included in this special issue aim to address this question from a range of perspectives; earlier versions were presented at the seminar series organized by the Regional Studies Association Research Network on ‘Creative Industries and the Regions’ (www.creative-regions.org.uk).

Competitiveness, Creativity, and Place-Based Development

This paper seeks to make a link between the concepts of competitiveness and the ‘creative class’ at a place-based level. The paper explores the relationship between creativity and competitiveness at the local level across the UK using a rural–urban framework. A growing competitiveness divide between rural and urban areas is found. Also, the creative class is found to be more evenly distributed than might be anticipated a priori. In conclusion, we argue that city-region approaches to economic development are having a detrimental impact on the competitiveness of rural regions.

Understanding Creative Regions: Bridging the Gap between Global Discourses and Regional and National Contexts

Understanding Creative Regions: Bridging the Gap between Global Discourses and Regional and National Contexts Caroline Chapain a , Nick Clifton b & Roberta Comunian c a Department of Management, Birmingham Business School, University House, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK E-mail: b School of Management, Cardiff Metropolitan University (UWIC), CSM Building, Western Avenue Llandaff, Cardiff, CF5 2YB, UK E-mail: c Department of Culture, Media and Creative Industries, Kings College London, Chesham Building, Strand Campus, London, WC2R 2LS, UK E-mail: Version of record first published: 10 Dec 2012.

Creative knowledge workers and location in Europe and North America: a comparative review

Abstract Much of the recent interest in the development of individual creativity has drawn upon Richard Floridas (2002a) book The Rise of the Creative Class. Whereas in the industrial age, classical and neoclassical economic theory told us that ‘people followed jobs’, in the modern knowledge economy Florida describes how ‘jobs follow talented people’. The research reported in this article represents an analysis of quality of place and the dispersion of the creative knowledge workers in seven European countries and builds upon the work that has been undertaken in North American cities in order to understand whether similar processes concerning the relationship between creativity, human capital, and high-technology industries are at work in Europe as claimed is the case within North America. Economic outcomes from creative class location are also reviewed. Finally, we consider the implications for further research, given the evidence presented here suggesting some variation of results by national socio-economic context.

Regional Culture in the Market Place: Place Branding and Product Branding as Cultural Exchange

In the modern consumer economy, the intangible or symbolic qualities of a product play a decisive role in its success or otherwise in the market place. Moreover, this applies to places as well as to physical products. This in turn poses a key research question—how can regions establish and maintain their distinctiveness in an ever more globalized and standardized world? Employing empirical data from the 6th framework project CURE, we observe three European regions (Györ, Styria and Wales) as taking different paths in response to comparable challenges that are economic but more specifically in relation to issues of branding and image. The rationale for this paper is then to investigate one of these regions in some detail—the case of Wales—in order to explore how the interaction between regional products and cultural manifestations of regional identity can play out in a specific European region (or nation in this case). We then speculate on the generalizability of these findings and suggest an agenda for further research.

Companies, Cultures, and the Region: Interactions and Outcomes

European integration is based on the idea of regional differentiation. Therefore, a diverse range of specific regional cultures have to be accepted, and space for individual paths of regional development is required. This also influences economic competitiveness and innovation because regional differentiation enables complementarities and synergies. Nevertheless, this European idea is under pressure as the reality of European integration is more and more driven by the homogenization, standardization and deregulation that go hand in hand with increasing globalization. A strong commitment to local/regional traditions and specialities is therefore required to counterbalance these trends and thus reinforce the underlying European model. This idea was the starting point for a European 6th Framework Programme project on the interaction between regional culture and company culture (CURE—Corporate Culture and Regional Embeddedness). The focus was on the culture of firms being influenced by regional culture, as a potential strength—this regional culture needs to be activated and can thus only be fully realized via interaction with regional companies. Increasingly, this interaction is of special interest in regional innovation studies. There are as yet however few systematic empirical studies into these topics; in regional science empirical results are discussed which highlight the “weight” of regional culture, Saxenian’s (1994) comparative study on Silicon Valley and Route 128 being prime examples of the impact of regional cultures on company behaviour. Another example is provided by Maillat et al. (1996), who analyse the diverging development paths of the Swiss and French Jura Alps, demonstrating that regional consensus, shared future visions, common

Systems Suppliers: Towards 'Best Practice'

This paper is concerned with UK‐based automotive component suppliers that have commenced the supply of a “complete system” to a vehicle assembler (VA) in recent years. The wider restructuring of VA‐supplier relations occurring in the UK automotive industry is taken asthe context for this research – reference is made to the requirements of lean and agile manufacturing. We investigate if these suppliers differ in any systematic way from their counterparts who have not moved into systems supply. This was done using a questionnaire survey and series of follow‐up interviews. Significant differences between systems and non‐systems suppliers were found in the areas of firm size, products, customers, design input and VA‐supplier relationship strategies. Both parties were typically found to gain from systems supply. The nature of these benefits is then explored. Overall, it is intended that this research should serve to inform management, and in particular that of suppliers seeking to achieve or to maintain and develop their first tier status.