1 Cluster evolution: from “in itself” to “for itself” Observations from Sudbury’s Mining Supply and Service Cluster Prepared for the Annual Conference of the Innovations Systems Research Network Vancouver, May 11-13, 2004 David Robinson, Laurentian University May, 2004

2 The ideas of economists and political philosophers, both when they are right and when they are wrong, are more powerful than is commonly understood." John Maynard Keynes

3 Canada’s leading mining community GDP much larger than the GDP of Prince Edward Island, (5.6 vs. 3.4 billion) Population greater than the combined populations of the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut,. 270 specialized mining supply and service firms, Demanding anchor firms A concentration of administrative services The only city in the world with 15 producing mines within the city limits. The only mining community in Canada with a research university.

4 Adamic Catastrophe x

5 Stylized facts: 1960 World Suppliers Local In house production Regional supply Canada

World Suppliers Local Regional supply

World Local Regional supply branches

World branches Specialized suppliers Research centers MNDM OGS,

9 Inco, Falconbridge 5. Building materials 1. Underground vehicles 10. General industrial supplies 11. Lubricants, engines, 9. Material handling material 2. Instrumentation 3. Air and liquid flow 4. Metal Fabricating 12. Environmenta l 7. Packaging and handling 6. Ground control 8. Drilling and blasting

10 NRCan’s three largest centres for MS&S by advertising Growth rate Concentration Ratio TORONTO VANCOUVER SUDBURY SASKATOON for Dale

11 suits F I N A N C E Sudbury Cluster Extraction Supply and services Education Research GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT Exploratio A cluster without suits

12 Deepening 75% employ specialized service providers. Accounting, law firms, payroll, insurance and business consultants. –Firms native to Sudbury AND firms with branches locally said that the specialized service providers were local.

13 The firms studied did not report difficulties in raising capital. (As Holbrook notes for west) –28/73 internally generated funds –56 /73 banks –Only two went to non-local bank offices Capital

14 Networked 84% participate in local or regional associations 39 of 75 regularly attend networking events

15 Innovation 76% offered new or significantly improved products or manufacturing/production processes over last 3 years. –16 were world firsts. –16 were Canadian firsts. –25 were firm firsts.

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17 Factors contributing to growth of firms: External benefits of labour force

18 First invisible, then disputed By officials of the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines (MNDM), By the Director of the Canadian Association of Mining Equipment and Service Exporters (CAMESE). By The Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity (ICAP) By University: Sudbury now a service economy By owners of the first 12 firms interviewed

19 “official” profiles of the top five clusters of traded industries: Education and Knowledge Creation 2.Hospitality and Tourism 3.Heavy Construction Services 4.Financial Services 5.Business Services A View of Ontario: Ontario’s Clusters of Innovation. The Institute for Competitiveness & Prosperity. Working Paper No. 1, April 2002,

20 Questions 1.Why was an evident cluster not observed 2.How does it come into sight? 3.Why resisted? 4.What does it tell us?

21 Why not seen 2002? Methodology misses –Look for exporting sector –Location quotients Theory –Emphasis on connections, organization, self-representation Entrenched interests No champions

22 If image is a criterion, these questions must be asked to measure whether an area is a tech cluster: Would an outsider say the city, town or region in question is a tech cluster, without prompting? 2.Do the people involved in the tech cluster understand what it is and define themselves in one? 3.Is there a mouthpiece, a news organization or organizations that are very supportive of the industry. 4.Is there a professional organization that supports technology exists in every tech cluster

: 3 out of 4 City declares MS&S the leading growth engine 2003, December: SAMSSA incorporated 2004 First issue, Sudbury Mining Solutions, a Sudbury MS&S trade journal Now most firms interviewed (April) say there is a network of firms and they are part of it.

24 Numbers, size verified Network structure described) Organization is emerging

25 An unchampioned cluster Weak city state Weak entrepreneurial culture Weak, new, sectoral leaders, Senior governments under pressure to spread goodies around Old ideas: –City promoting self as centre of healthcare, tourism, alternate energy –Mining-related means mining-run University not committed to economic development, technology Political competition from other segments of industry

26 Policy implications? Key policy choices: –Location of public assets –Voice: Public role in branding, signalling Outcomes likely to be suboptimal because of because governments respond to pressure to include everyone. Don Di Salle: locals have to get organized Role of social, political

27 Theoretical implications? 1.Invisible clusters? 2.Power of customers and traditional aggregation forces -Role of moderately thick labour market -tacit knowledge 3.Importance of recycling talent 4.Importance of culture – Negative example 5.Role of university in moving up-technology – late joiner 6.Importance of public sector decisons

28 That’s all Folks

29 Notes from talks We lived here and we didn’t want to leave This is THE centre for mining Weak entrepreneurial culture –Blue collar, branch plant town, Loss of jobs: Schumpeter? Community response is important spatial agglomeration or functional network?

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