Indusrty Clusters in Peripheral Regions

2011 ◽  
pp. 99-126
Author(s):  
Philip Rosson ◽  
Carolan McLarney
Keyword(s):  
Early Stage ◽  
Peripheral Region ◽  
Focus Attention ◽  
Cluster Development ◽  
Support Organizations ◽  
Development Cycle ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Biotechnology Companies ◽  
Peripheral Regions

This chapter examines a nascent biotechnology cluster in a city that lies outside Canada’s industrial heartland. The purpose of the study was to focus attention on the nature of cluster development in peripheral regions. The research findings reveal that many support services are provided to Halifax-based biotechnology companies and made use of by companies. However, barriers to development still exist, and support organizations and companies are not certain that a cluster truly exists in Halifax at this time. What results is a case study of a cluster at an early stage in its development cycle and in a peripheral region. The authors encourage other researchers to examine cluster development outside of major industrial centers.

Early stage cluster development: a manufacturers-led approach in the aircraft industry

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-65
Author(s):  
Harm-Jan Steenhuis ◽  
Dean Kiefer
Keyword(s):  
Early Stage ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cluster Development ◽  
Government Organizations ◽  
Customer Base ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
Development Approach

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to explore the early stage of development of a cluster. The literature on early stage of cluster development shows that there are often random effects such as an entrepreneur and spin-off companies, and in this study, a coordinated approach for cluster development is described. Design/methodology/approach – A single exploratory case study approach is followed. The aerospace cluster in the Spokane region, State of Washington, is described. Data from a variety of sources are triangulated to enhance the credibility of the case study findings. Findings – It was found that although there are many types of collaborations occurring in the region, which involve policy and government organizations, the main driver of the early-stage cluster development is manufacturers-led coordinating mechanism. Individual manufacturers are too small to be successful in the aerospace industry, and they are collaborating to present a united “front” to out-of-the-region customers. Once customers place an order, then within this coordinating mechanism, the work is divided among different manufacturers. Research limitations/implications – The research has two main limitations. First, it is a single case study, and therefore, the results may not be generalizable. Second, the cluster is in an early stage of development, so it is not (yet) clear whether this manufacturers-led coordinated approach will have long-term success. Practical implications – The studies offer potential for cluster development that go beyond relying on a single entrepreneur or on mostly government- or policy-driven initiatives. Instead, this is an approach that can be used by industry to lift the overall competitiveness of their region. Social implications – This cluster development approach offers potential for economic development of smaller regions which mainly consist of small- and medium-sized companies without endowment benefits or a large local customer base. Originality/value – This study adds to the existing knowledge on clusters and cluster types. The identified cluster approach does not fit with the main types of clusters that have been identified in the literature. The companies involved are mainly small- to medium-sized companies, but by coordinating their capabilities, they are able to present core capabilities in a much more attractive manner to customers. This cluster development approach is not driven by or achieved through advantages in innovation, vertical or horizontal supply chain competition and advantages, creation of spin-off firms, or a regional demand base as customers are located outside the region. It deviates in terms of the types of companies involved and, mostly, in a sense that it acts as one unit to customers who are located outside the region.

scholarly journals Applying a tourism micro cluster model to rural development planning: a case study of Kaeng Ruang village in Thailand

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Development Strategy ◽  
Rural Economy ◽  
Cluster Model ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Technical Assistance ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Development Planning ◽  
Cluster Development ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative Methods

In Thailand, agriculture still plays an important role in the rural economy but is facing several problems resulting in poverty in rural settings. Tourism can play an important role in improving a rural economy in some areas. This paper proposes employing the tourism micro cluster model to address poverty in a poor village in the northeastern part of Thailand. The study also addressed the theoretical foundation of a tourism micro cluster model for a rural village in Thailand that applies concepts derived from a board literature review. Data were collected through both qualitative and quantitative methods to gain insights about problems and potentials for tourism development in the village. The proposed model is built from analyzed data and in the light of resource-based view, clustering theory, and the Thai King’s sufficiency economy philosophy. The proposed tourism cluster is consisted by four complementary businesses including homestay, marked trekking, adventure trekking, and processed malva nut products. In light of our analysis, it is evident that tourism clustering is feasible in the context of this locality. The studied village has sufficient resources both tangible and intangible resources possible for planned tourism micro cluster development. However, an attempt at cluster development in the studied village would require an intervention to provide technical assistance from concerned parties e.g. local government in the early stage to build capacity building of local people for running businesses independently and sustainably. Although one of the limitations of this study is to focus on only one village, the case study of Kaeng Ruang village can provide contextual insight and meaningful implications for policymakers when considering clustering as a planned destination development strategy.

A Proof for the Possibility of Ce-Oxide from CMP Residuals in Si-Wafers by Analytical TEM

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wayne Zhao ◽  
Liem Do Thanh ◽  
Michael Gribelyuk ◽  
Mary-Ann Zaitz ◽  
Wing Lai
Keyword(s):  
Technology Development ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Chemical Mechanical Planarization ◽  
Particle Cluster ◽  
Limited Region ◽  
Physical Evidence ◽  
Analytical Tem ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Oxide Particles

Abstract Inclusion of cerium (Ce) oxide particles as an abrasive into chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) slurries has become popular for wafer fabs below the 45nm technology node due to better polishing quality and improved CMP selectivity. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has difficulties finding and identifying Ce-oxide residuals due to the limited region of analysis unless dedicated efforts to search for them are employed. This article presents a case study that proved the concept in which physical evidence of Ce-rich particles was directly identified by analytical TEM during a CMP tool qualification in the early stage of 20nm node technology development. This justifies the need to setup in-fab monitoring for trace amounts of CMP residuals in Si-based wafer foundries. The fact that Cr resided right above the Ce-O particle cluster, further proved that the Ce-O particles were from the wafer and not introduced during the sample preparation.

The Effects of Teaching Reflection Diaries on In-Service High School Teachers in Japan

Relay Journal ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 80-99
Author(s):  
Naoya Shibata
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Teachers ◽  
Illustrative Case ◽  
Teaching Beliefs ◽  
Experienced Teacher ◽  
Female Teachers ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Illustrative Case Study

Although teaching reflection diaries (TRDs) are prevalent tools for teacher training, TRDs are rarely used in Japanese secondary educational settings. In order to delve into the effects of TRDs on teaching development, this illustrative case study was conducted with two female teachers (one novice, and one experienced) at a Japanese private senior high school. The research findings demonstrated that both in-service teachers perceived TRDs as beneficial tools for understanding their strengths and weaknesses. TRDs and class observations illustrated that the novice teacher raised their self-confidence in teaching and gradually changed their teaching activities. On the other hand, the experienced teacher held firm teaching beliefs based on their successful teaching experiences and were sometimes less willing to experiment with different approaches. However, they changed their teaching approaches when they lost balance between their class preparation and other duties. Accordingly, although teachers’ firm beliefs and successful experiences may sometimes become possible hindrances from using TRDs effectively, TRDs can be useful tools to train and help teachers realise their strengths and weaknesses.

scholarly journals Sustainability and Stakeholder Awareness: A Case Study of a Scottish University

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4186
Author(s):  
Abdulhakeem Raji ◽  
Abeer Hassan
Keyword(s):  
Signaling Theory ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Voluntary Exercise ◽  
Communication Tool ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The University

This paper adopted a case study approach to investigate the sustainability practices of a Scottish university in order to understand if sustainability forms part of its central policy agenda. As such, the paper focuses on the levels of awareness and disclosure of their sustainable practices, measuring the impacts and effectiveness of those initiatives. This paper introduces signaling theory to explore the idea that appropriate communication via integrated thinking can close the gap between the organization and its stakeholders. We believe that the provision of this relevant information will lead to better communication between the organization and its stakeholders, supporting a signaling theory interpretation. Therefore, we are suggesting that integrated thinking is an internal process that organizations can follow to increase the level of disclosure as a communication tool with stakeholders. From the literature reviewed, four themes were identified (definition of university sustainability, sustainability awareness, disclosure framework within universities, and level of accountability). The research adopted a pragmatic view and conducted individual interviews with participants belonging to three stakeholder groups (members of the university’s senior management, the governing council, and the student union executive). Although this study focused on just one Scottish university, it should still provide some insight for the better understanding of the underpinning issues surrounding the sustainability accountability practices of Scottish universities in general. The research findings indicated that the university prioritized only two sustainability dimensions—economic and environmental—and that the university still perceived sustainability as a voluntary exercise. Additionally, it is evident that the university had no framework in place for measuring its sustainability delivery—and therefore had no established medium of communicating these activities to its stakeholders. Moreover, research findings showed that the social and educational context of sustainability was lacking at the university. The university has done little or nothing to educate its stakeholders on sustainability.

scholarly journals Neighborhood Energy Modeling and Monitoring: A Case Study

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 3716
Author(s):  
Francesco Causone ◽  
Rossano Scoccia ◽  
Martina Pelle ◽  
Paola Colombo ◽  
Mario Motta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Monitoring Plan ◽  
Performance Targets ◽  
Carrier Energy ◽  
Zero Carbon ◽  
Energy Grid

Cities and nations worldwide are pledging to energy and carbon neutral objectives that imply a huge contribution from buildings. High-performance targets, either zero energy or zero carbon, are typically difficult to be reached by single buildings, but groups of properly-managed buildings might reach these ambitious goals. For this purpose we need tools and experiences to model, monitor, manage and optimize buildings and their neighborhood-level systems. The paper describes the activities pursued for the deployment of an advanced energy management system for a multi-carrier energy grid of an existing neighborhood in the area of Milan. The activities included: (i) development of a detailed monitoring plan, (ii) deployment of the monitoring plan, (iii) development of a virtual model of the neighborhood and simulation of the energy performance. Comparisons against early-stage energy monitoring data proved promising and the generation system showed high efficiency (EER equal to 5.84), to be further exploited.

scholarly journals How do Academic Faculty Members Perceive the Effect of Teaching Surveys Completed by Students on Appointment and Promotion Processes at Academic Institutions? A Case Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eyal Eckhaus ◽  
Nitza Davidovitch
Keyword(s):  
Research Performance ◽  
Student Evaluations ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Academic Institutions ◽  
Senior Faculty ◽  
Statistical Research ◽  
Academic Appointment ◽  
Academic Faculty ◽  
Research Findings

It is commonly thought that the promotion of faculty members is affected by their research performance. The current study is unique in examining how academic faculty members perceive the harm or damage to academic appointment and promotion processes, as a direct effect of student evaluations as manifested in teaching surveys. One hundred eighty two questionnaires were collected from senior faculty members at academic institutions. Most respondents were from three institutions: Ariel University, Ben Gurion University, and the Jezreel Valley College. Qualitative and statistical research tools were utilized, with the goal of forming a model reflecting the effect of the harm to academic appointment and promotion processes, as perceived by faculty members. The research findings show that the lecturers find an association that causes harm to their promotion processes as a result of student evaluations. Assuming that students' voices and their opinion of teaching are important – the question is how should these evaluations be treated within promotion and appointment processes: what and whom do they indicate? Do they constitute a reliable managerial tool with which it is possible to work as a foundation for promotion and appointment processes – or should other tools be developed, unrelated to students' opinions?

scholarly journals Organisational change in hospitals: a qualitative case-study of staff perspectives

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Pomare ◽  
Kate Churruca ◽  
Janet C. Long ◽  
Louise A. Ellis ◽  
Jeffrey Braithwaite
Keyword(s):  
Health Systems ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Organisational Change ◽  
Hospital Staff ◽  
Hospital Environment ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Metropolitan Hospital ◽  
The Face ◽  
Negative Expectations

Abstract Background Organisational change in health systems is common. Success is often tied to the actors involved, including their awareness of the change, personal engagement and ownership of it. In many health systems, one of the most common changes we are witnessing is the redevelopment of long-standing hospitals. However, we know little about how hospital staff understand and experience such potentially far-reaching organisational change. The purpose of this study is to explore the understanding and experiences of hospital staff in the early stages of organisational change, using a hospital redevelopment in Sydney, Australia as a case study. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 46 clinical and non-clinical staff working at a large metropolitan hospital. Hospital staff were moving into a new building, not moving, or had moved into a different building two years prior. Questions asked staff about their level of awareness of the upcoming redevelopment and their experiences in the early stage of this change. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results Some staff expressed apprehension and held negative expectations regarding the organisational change. Concerns included inadequate staffing and potential for collaboration breakdown due to new layout of workspaces. These fears were compounded by current experiences of feeling uninformed about the change, as well as feelings of being fatigued and under-staffed in the constantly changing hospital environment. Nevertheless, balancing this, many staff reported positive expectations regarding the benefits to patients of the change and the potential for staff to adapt in the face of this change. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that it is important to understand prospectively how actors involved make sense of organisational change, in order to potentially assuage concerns and alleviate negative expectations. Throughout the processes of organisational change, such as a hospital redevelopment, staff need to be engaged, adequately informed, trained, and to feel supported by management. The use of champions of varying professions and lead departments, may be useful to address concerns, adequately inform, and promote a sense of engagement among staff.

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