Örjan Sölvell presenting the European Cluster Observatory at the 15th TCI Global Conference, Basque Country 2012

2. Professor Örjan Sölvell
The European Cluster Observatory

4. The European Cluster Observatory

5. The European Cluster Observatory
> 600 industries

6. The European Cluster Observatory
> 600 industries
> 400 regions

7. The European Cluster Observatory
> 600 industries
> 400 regions
> 3 million raw data points

8. The European Cluster Observatory
Processed into 1,3 million
useful indicators on the
website

9. The European Cluster Observatory
Every month,
more than 2 000 maps
produced and over 1 500
books and reports are
downloaded

10. Article about Germany
The Economist, 14 April 2012
Used by media…

11. From: renee.vanden.bremer@kvk.nl [mailto:renee.vanden.bremer@kvk.nl]
Sent: 12 July 2012 16:42
To: Göran Lindqvist
Subject: Regional Chambers of Commerce in the Netherlands on "Organisation Mapping"
Dear Mr. Lindqvist,
Today I came upon the wonderful
source of information that is the
Cluster Observatory. I am truly amazed by the collection of data it offers ...
… used by practitioners…

12. … and by cluster organisations

13. From: Andrea Rossetti [mailto:andrearossetti87@gmail.com]
Sent: 20 June 2012 15:17
To: Göran Lindqvist
Subject: Question - cluster observatory
Dear Sir,
“ First of all I would like
to thank you because
this website really
helped me a lot in my
research”
Used by researchers

14. Used by researchers

15. Used to Inspire Policy Debate…
The Observatory enhances the
potential for fact-based policy!

16. “The Cluster Observatory was
instrumental in preparing key input for Bulgaria’s new
Economic Development Strategy. With the aid of
the Observatory, the Center for Economic Strategy and Competitiveness in
Sofia were able to make an overall assessment of Bulgarian
companies, structure them into cluster and thus produce the first
cluster map of Bulgaria. With the Observatory’s model, it
was for the first time possible to assess which of the clusters of Bulgaria
were internationally competitive with significant export potential. Before
this work, such a survey had not been available.”
…and Policy

17. “EDA’s support for the U.S. Cluster Mapping and
Registry Project is timely and important given
that other regions around the world are working
hard to map their own assets and strengths.”
Secretary John Fernandez, U.S. Economic Development Agency
http://www.clustermapping.us/index.html#!view=aboutobservatory;url=/about-observatory/about-U.S.-cluster-mapping/Welcome/index.html
and copied in the U.S.…

18. Cluster Policy
No. 1 hit out of 78 million.…

19. 2000 2003
Cluster
Mapping 2005 2007
Cluster
Observatory
Porter:
US Cluster Codes
Mapping US economy
Mapping Canada (2001)
2009
Lindqvist, Malmberg & Sölvell:
Translation of US Cluster Codes to EU
Mapping Sweden
Ketels, Sölvell & Lindqvist:
Mapping of accession EU-10
Introduced 3-star rating
Sölvell, Ketels, Lindqvist & Protsiv:
Mapping of EU-27 + 4
Lindqvist, Protsiv, Sölvell & Ketels:
Revison of EU codes
Introduction of Priority Sectors
(e.g. creative industries)
2007 2012
Launch of the European
Cluster Observatory
Launch of the Global
Cluster Observatory portal
Launch of the US Cluster
Mapping website
A Brief History

22. The Future

23. The Cluster Observatory
Evaluation Model
Regional Programmes & Cluster Programmes
Coaching &
Implementation
Learning Across
Regions and Clusters
Evaluation Model

24. 1. Interviews
(process tracing/confirmation stats)
A Member firms/organisations
B Cluster Leader
C Cluster Organisation Board
2. Participatory observation
1. Benchmarking with other
A Regions
B Clusters
C Cluster organisations
2. Peer Evaluation Teams
1. SIMPLER Company Financial Data
(Collection/Cluster definition/Control groups)
A Value added
B Wages
C Profitability
2. Statistical Analysis
I
III
II
IV
The Evaluation Model - Four Complementary Components
TM
1. Surveys of member firms/organizations in cluster
2. Surveys of cluster organisations
3. Surveys of social media (text analysis)

25. Cluster X
Region
Cluster X outperforms its peer cluster and the region in general
Change in value added among member firms in a cluster, as compared to
A) Firms in an unorganized peer cluster and
B) All firms within the region within the cluster category
Control
Group
% Change in Value Added
IResults – SIMPLER Analysis

26. II
Measured the degree of networking across innovation gaps:
Firm- to- firm (SMEs cooperate with large firms)
Firm- to-research
Firm-to-education
Firm-to-capital
Firm-to-public organisations
Firm-to- other clusters
Firm-to-global markets
Results – Survey Method
Some clusters are much better at networking across the innovation gaps
Some clusters exhibit a negative development after the 2008 crisis
Come a long way
Large gaps still exist

27. Thank You!
Contact:
Professor Örjan Sölvell
Stockholm School of Economics
Box 6501
113 83 Stockholm
Sweden
Visiting address: Holländargatan 32
Telephone: +46 – 8 – 736 9632
www.hhs.se/csc
www.clusterobservatory.eu
www.ivorytower.se

28. 1.
2.
3.
4.
Component Strengths Weaknesses
I SIMPLER 1. and 4. 2. and 3.
II Survey tools 1. 2. 3. and 4.
III Interviews 2. and 3. 1. and 4.
IV Benchmarking 1. and 4. 2. and 3.
Cluster Observatory Model 1. 2. 3. 4.
The Model is Designed to Capture Unintended Effects and
Controlling for Outside Explanations
TM

29. II
Results – Innovation Gaps in Cluster
Innovation gaps (here 5 out of 7) on the decrease across the 12 clusters in the region
However gap between firms and research increased 2008-2009