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- Lagerholm, Magnus, 1973-
(författare)
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Kunskap och innovation i ett moget kluster : En ekonomisk-geografisk studie av aluminiumindustrin i Småland-Blekinge
- 2007
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The thesis aims at understanding mechanisms behind knowledge generation and learning in a mature cluster by analysing firms in south-east Sweden engaged in the development and manufacturing of aluminium products. The point of departure is in concepts and assumptions related to spatially concen-trated systems of similar and related firms and industries, such as agglomera-tions, clusters or innovation systems.Three sets of empirical analyses have been conducted: a mail survey, a series of in-depth interviews and a register-based analysis. The analyses focus on three themes: inter-firm relations, the embeddedness of the clustered firms in the region, and the role of labour and labour mobility in cluster development. It is shown that also in a rather mature and low-tech cluster, firm competi-tiveness rests on continuous knowledge upgrading and innovation. In general terms, firms in this cluster do have business relations with other firms at all different spatial scales. While there are manifold buyer-supplier relations within the cluster, most firms have their most important linkages outside the region. The firms regard themselves as part of a cluster and various mecha-nisms contribute to this. There is a strong sense of trust and loyalty, and this applies in particular to those engaged either in some of the more organized supplier networks or the regional cluster initiative Aluminiumriket. Finally, the cluster does not seem to constitute a very fluid labour market for special-ised skills. Labour mobility between firms in this particular cluster seems to be fairly low.
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| 2. |
- Waxell, Anders, 1972-
(författare)
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Uppsalas biotekniska industriella system : En ekonomisk-geografisk studie av interaktion, kunskapsspridning och arbetsmarknadsrörlighet
- 2005
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The main purpose of the thesis is to study industrial transformation and growth within a local cluster of biotech activities in Uppsala, Sweden. A combination of theoretical approaches is used to address questions of why certain regions become more competitive: the cluster approach, innovation systems theory, and the technological systems approach. First, the industrial system is mapped in order to identify important local actors and structures. Secondly, by using interviews, a questionnaire, and a longitudinal database, key relations are studied from a spatial point of view. Four different fields of interaction are studied: business and market interaction; interaction with investors; collaborative and overall social interaction; and labor market interaction. The importance of the local milieu varies depending on the types of interaction in focus. Business interaction is predominantly global. Relations with investors are mainly regional and focused to the broader Stockholm region. The local milieu in Uppsala is more significant with respect to formal cooperation and collaboration, especially between local academy and industry actors, as well as informal interaction and social networks. The local milieu also seems to be important for knowledge transfer on the labor market. The creation of innovations and competitiveness is not just an outcome of buyer-supplier linkages, but is also a result of both formal and informal interaction occurring between industry and actors in the institutional and environmental setting, where knowledge, skills and information can be traded and/or transferred. Thus, the presence of knowledge intensive local actors and the quality of the relations is an important factor for the creation of industrial transformation and growth.
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| 3. |
- Waxell, Anders, et al.
(författare)
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What is global and what is local in knowledge-generating interaction? : The case of the biotech cluster in Uppsala, Sweden
- 2007
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Ingår i: Entrepreneurship and Regional Development. - 0898-5626 .- 1464-5114. ; 19:2, s. 137-159
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this paper is to describe the structure of the biotech cluster in Uppsala, Sweden, and to analyse how cluster knowledge dynamics result from processes and interactions unfolding at different spatial scales. The empirical basis for the analyses are derived from various sources: business registers, an internet- based survey of 106 firms, 23 in-depth interviews with key individuals, and a longitudinal database give data on the degree to which collaborations, rivalry, business transactions, capital sourcing and labour mobility take place in the local cluster. In addition to asking questions about which interactions are most localized and globalized, respectively, the paper also sets out to give an account of the 'clusterness' of the case in point. The paper shows that while the business relations of the biotech companies in Uppsala are strongly globalized, the sourcing of capital, the informal social networking and the labour market dynamics are much more regionalized/ localized.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Lundequist, Per, 1972-, et al.
(författare)
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Promoting localized excellence in research and innovation : mapping contemporary policy trends in Sweden
- 2008
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- High-tech and science-based industries have been hyped as a key part of the knowledge economy and governments have acknowledged research and innovation as a top priority for promoting competitive advantage. A prominent trend in recent years in many European countries and beyond has been to direct research funding towards so-called Centres of Excellences (CoE): micro-concentrations of high-skilled workers and socially networked knowledge workers. By exploring recent trends in innovation policies in the case of Sweden, and setting up a comprehensive database including data from 110 granted CoE-initiative applications, a detailed picture is presented focusing on key policy actors, program design, prioritised sectors, and characteristics of leading researchers. Drawing on a theoretical model of localised excellence, we suggest that the initiatives can be mapped and further analysed along three dimensions: research; innovation; and value creation. We conclude by briefly discussing methodological issues concerning the possibilities and challenges of using this kind of empirical material for analysing localized knowledge production in the knowledge-based economy. Finally, the current policy rhetoric emphasising the importance of cluster- and CoE-initiatives for promoting economic growth is critically discussed.
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| 9. |
- Waxell, Anders, 1972-
(författare)
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Guilty by association : a cross-industrial approach to sourcing complementary knowledge in the Uppsala biotechnology cluster
- 2009
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Ingår i: European Planning Studies. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0965-4313 .- 1469-5944. ; 17:11, s. 1605-1624
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A wide range of industrial studies recognize the tendency of similar and related economic activities to co-locate in so-called industrial systems or clusters. While a cluster is defined by its cross-industrial relations the supporting and complementary role of cluster actors is seldom fully explored. This study will focus on the dynamics of cluster relations and give an account for the complementary nature of clusters by analysing anchor firms and complementary agents (such as specialized service providers and institutions for collaboration) in the Uppsala biotechnology cluster in Sweden. The empirical data used involves a triangulation of interview, survey and individual-based register data based upon a mapping of cluster actors active in 2002 and 2003. It is shown that both the formerly dominant pharmaceutical company and the local university have actively taken the role as anchor firms/organizations creating a local and dynamic milieu for biotechnology activities. Furthermore, it is shown that the local cluster consists of a variety of complementary agents contributing to knowledge spillovers and cluster competitiveness.
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| 10. |
- Waxell, Anders, 1972-
(författare)
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Jobless growth? : Investigating the structure and geography of the labor force in the Swedish life science industry
- 2009
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Policy-makers, as well as scholars, are often positing the life science industry in general, and biotechnology in specific, as a future engine of economic growth. It is stipulated that growth in the industry ultimately will result in a major boost in national employment numbers. However, in the paper we primarily find that the Swedish life science industry (encompassing pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical technology firms) only stands for a small share of the total employment in Sweden. In the paper we argue that a focus on employment is not necessarily the most appropriate policy approach to assess the impacts of the life science industry on the overall economy. In the paper, the scope, structure and geography of the life science industry and its labour force in Sweden is mapped and analysed by using a unique set of data of about 1 200 firms and 54 000 employees. We find that the labour force in the industry have significantly higher education and income levels compared to national averages, as well as being heavily concentrated to larger metropolitan areas and major university cities. Although employing relatively few people and being more or less dependant on the inclusion and success of a small number of major pharmaceutical firms, we find that the industry may still have an important impact on the national economy. This is manifested by high levels of education, income, and export revenues, particularly in specific regions. As such, this paper contributes to the ongoing discussion on ‘jobless growth’.
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