Local Competitiveness In a Global Perspective: the Global Rise of Innovation Districts and the Changing Face of

Innovation

Mary L. Walshok, Ph.D.University of California San Diego

October 2015Presented at a ESBRI and IVA seminar Oct 20, 2015

1

The New RealityResponding to forces beyond local control

Leap frogging technologyDiversifying marketsCompetitorsDownsizing due to competitors, acquisitions by global firms,

offshoring production or services due to local requirements, cheaper or better

Local economic performance requires addressing how to reinvigorate, repurpose and in some cases reinvent local assets and fill local gaps.

To do this requires new forms of organization and new conversations with new kinds of people/resources at the table informed by reliable data and performance metrics

2

One Size Does Not Fit AllContext Matters: Common Forces Shape New Economic Realities for All While Distinctive Elements of Place Shape Local Responses

Geography and the Natural EnvironmentIndustrial LegaciesSocial Dynamics and Cultural ValuesDemographics and Human CapitalWhat Roles are played by the Public and Private Sectors

3

Common Issues Must be Addressed Across Regions

What are the Key Challenges/Opportunities We Face?What business and industrial capabilities are dominantWhat Talent and Innovation Resources are AvailableLeadership and Capital Resources neededCharacter of both Knowledge and Know-How

Assets/Deficits

4

What are the Enablers and Barriers to Change?Behaviors, Values and Social NormsTalent Pools and Education/Training ResourcesLeadership Dynamics and Social BoundariesRegulatory and Legal FrameworksJurisdictional and Financing Parameters

5

What Will Success Look Like in our Community?Ideas About what we want to achieve for

individuals, enterprises, community life, economic performance and quality of life

What metrics are we using to monitor progress and measure success

6

Practices Essential to All PlacesRecurrent Themes Across All Places

Spatial, resource, organization and policy issues frame and can enable or inhibit change

Ecosystems, clusters, “Commons” leveraging spatial agglomeration activities are the mechanisms enabling the knowledge flows, trust building and risk sharing essential to change

The critical role of institutions such as universities and philanthropy in enabling the creation of new economic value and building competitive talent pools

The importance of new social arrangements/organizations i.e., intermediary organizations such as CONNECT, innovation brokers, research parks and incubators

The critical role of well aligned national, state and local policy can play in accelerating change 7

The Oxford Handbook of Local Competitiveness8