Quality Infrastructure & Cluster Competitiveness Ulrich Harmes-Liedtke

Parallel 2.2 Cluster implementation in different parts of the world

11 November 2014

QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE & CLUSTER COMPETITIVENESS

ULRICH HARMES-LIEDTKE

17 TH TCI GLOBAL CONFERENCE | CREATING SHARED VALUE THROUGH CLUSTERS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

WHAT IS MEANT BYQUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE (QI)?

CLARIFYING TERMINOLOGY

1

NationalQuality Infrastructure

A national system of organizations and services to

assure quality and assess conformity

in international trade

It’s not about the quality of infrastructure

Key elements of QI

Formerly QI was called MSTQ

QI components are interlinked

QI is a service system for the whole value chain

17 TH TCI GLOBAL CONFERENCE | CREATING SHARED VALUE THROUGH CLUSTERS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

HOW QI RELATES TO CLUSTERSAND VICE VERSA?

SENSE MAKING

2

Cluster success depends on linkages

Cluster Greenbook 2.0 highlights the importance of bridging between

• Firms and

•Government

• Research organizations

• Education organizations and

• Capital providers

Firms

Research organisations

Education organisations

Government

Capital providers

INTERNAL INNOVATION GAPS1. Research gap - barring interaction

between firms and research organizations

2. Education gap - barring interaction between firms and education organizations

3. Capital gap - barring interaction between firms and education organizations

4. Government gap - barring interaction between firms and public bodies

5. Firm-to-firm gap barring interaction among firms in the cluster

EXTERNAL INNOVATION GAPS

6. Cross-cluster gap barring interaction with firms in other clusters/technologies

7. Global market gap barring interaction with global markets and value chains

Four of seven gaps

are related to QI!

GAPS OF INNOVATION IN CLUSTERS.

Source: SÖLVELL, Ö. & WILLIAMS, M. 2013. Building the Cluster Commons (Cluster Orangebook).

Research nexus – Joint research can improve productivity and enable radical innovations (i.e. Industry 4.0)

Government nexus – Can make technical regulations and inspection more business friendly and public investment in QI respond better to cluster needs

Global nexus: Using QI services help cluster firms to comply with buyer requirements and get access to global markets

Mutual benefit of closing the

gap

Firm to firm nexus – QI support firms –especially SME – to fulfillbuyer requirements and join Global Value Chains

Since both operate on different levels, there are few natural

points of contact:

o Territorial/ Local: Clusters with localized services of national QI

reduce transaction costs, get services tailored to their specific needs

and closeness of scientific institutions can stimulate innovation

o National: QI gets better informed about industry needs, can adapt

their service development to cluster needs and claim its contribution

to territorial competitiveness

Facilitation can help to overcome communication failure

MUTUAL COOPERATION BENEFITS FOR CLUSTERS AND QI

17 TH TCI GLOBAL CONFERENCE | CREATING SHARED VALUE THROUGH CLUSTERS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

PRACTICAL COOPERATION BETWEEN CLUSTERS AND QI

THE CALIDENA APPROACH

3

CALIDENA APPROACH

CALIDAD (Spanish word for “Quality” (Infrastructure)

+ CADENA (Spanish word for “Chain” and synonymous for Value Chain)

_____________________________________

= CALIDENA

Methodology of the Technical Cooperation of the German Metrology Institute

• Promotes practical activities to

strengthen quality services for a value

chain in order to increase

competitiveness

• Based on a rapid participatory

assessment of a value chain

• Focus on quality of the processes and

products in each link

• Addresses potentials and weaknesses

METHODOLOGICAL

APPROACH

DIALOGUE TERRITORIALIZED VALUE CHAINS AND QI

Clusterperspective=Territorialperspective

Value-chain perspective =Functional Perspective

Functional focus of action plans

Interaction between companies Specialisation between

companiesLearning by interacting

Upgrading by interactingand specialising

Territorialfocus ofaction plans

Costa Rica - Shrimps Cluster

2007 European Union closed borders to shrimp from Costa Rica, because of deficiencies in handling and control of residues in processing plants.

25 producers affected who provided direct employment to 1,800 people and indirect employment to another 23,000 in transportation, veterinary services, airlines, etc.PTB supported collaboration between Food Safety Authority (SENASA) and Fish Exporters Chamber in the establishment of a National Quality SystemSuccess in record time: European Union reopened market already in 2008.

Europe oblige “third countries” to guarantee equivalent control system

SINCE 2007CALIDENA IS APPLIED IN MORE THAN 20 COUNTRIES WORLDWIDE

1. Selection of the right chain in an appropriate moment

2. Identification of motivated stakeholders to improve and change

3. Diversity and representativeness of different stakeholder groups

4. Presence of the buyers perspective

5. Active involvement of National QI and conformity assessment bodies

6. Professional facilitation in preparation, workshop and follow

CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS OF CALIDENA

CONCLUSIONS

QI services are a blind spot of cluster promotion

This kind of collaboration does not develop always by itself

CALIDENA responds to need for facilitation and methodologies

Experience shows mutual benefits Clusters and QI

4

CALIDENA Website, www.calidena.com

Twitter @calidena

LinkedIn #CALIDENA Community Group

Technical Cooperation of PTB, www.ptb.de

Mesopartner Theme QI, http://www.mesopartner.com/themes/quality-infrastructure/

MORE INFORMATION