Building cluster brands. Methodological bases for its definition and conceptualization Xavier Ginesta

Parallel 3.2 Topics on New Cluster Trends

12 November 2014

BUILDING CLUSTER BRANDS. METHODOLOGICAL BASES FOR

ITS DEFINITION AND CONCEPTUALIZATION

XAVIER GINESTA, UNIVERSIDAD DE VIC-UNIVERSIDAD CENTRAL DE CATALUÑA

www.uvic.cat

Building cluster brands. Methodological bases for its definition and conceptualization

Dr. Xavier Ferràs @xavierferrasDr. Jordi de San Eugenio @jdesaneugenioDr. Xavier Ginesta @xavierginesta

www.uvic.cat

• Clusters become an essential asset for territories and a sign of their identity.

• Industry specialization can contribute to position a territory (a state, a region or a city) in the international market of investments.

• Defining a successful brand for clusters is an important strategy in order to promote a territory worldwide; and consequently, to improve the competitiveness of its industries.

• The state of Arizona is world known for its cluster in optics and photonics. Hamamatsu in Japan concentrates some of the most important motorcycle companies in the world.

Introduction

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• The aim of this presentation is to propose a scientific and totally proved methodology to build place brands, this is also cluster brands.

• We focus our attention on defining and conceptualizing

these brands using tangible and intangible values of the actors of the territory, in this case, cluster members.

• The University of Vic- Central University of Catalonia has develop a research group in place branding (TRACTE), the first one in Spain.

Objective

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• The place brand essentially implies a reinvention of place based on a branding process.

• The branding process places value on location-based individual and collective identities, which are fully imbued with the intangibles associated with their respective identities of place.

• Territory, contrary to what one may think and within the framework of globalisation, acquires notable influence and a specific relevance in economics, politics, society and culture.

• Capital flows must pay special attention to the position of locations.

Place brand and economy (I)

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• Profesor Joan Nogué: “We are assisting in an exceptional process of revaluing different places that, at the same time, generates a competition between said spaces, unheard of to date. From this [revaluation] arises the need to differentiate, to exhibit and emphasise all of those significant elements that definitively differentiate a place in relation to other places, to stand out on a map.”

• Clusters as one of the most important economic structures that differentiates a territory among the others.

• The truly important factor in a globalised world is the connectivity linked to the symbolic meaning inherent in the consumption of specific spaces

Place brand and economy (II)

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Place brand and economy (III)

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• “A cluster is a geographical concentration of interconnected companies and associated institutions in a particular field” (Michael Porter, 1998)

• Economy is clusterized. Clusters are basic analysis units for microeconomic and competitiveness policies.

• Clusters are associated with industries (specific fields of operation) and geographical places.

• A cluster emerges, bottom-up, from the culture, tradition, habilities and skills associated to the territory

• Clusters are strategic assests for the identity of a territory that wants to compete, as a whole, in the XXI century economy. Clusters’ identity should be integrated in the territory’s brand.

• Clusters are associated to a territory, but compete globally. Their own cluster identity (and brand) should be associated to the territory’s brand.

Clusters as place signs

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Place brand methodology (I)

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Focus groups, in-depth interviews and surveys

Place brand methodology (II)

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• Democratization of the process (with 2.0 support).• Transparency of the process.• Direct information of the process.• Implication of many different agents of the territory.• Engagement with diverse targets. • Your opinion is important for us…Your contribution is a

critical issue to construct our place brand• The community process to define the place brand is in

itself valuable to explain to people the importance of creating a strong and powerful place image and reputation.

Advantatges of this method

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Thank you very much

xavier.ginesta@uvic.cat

@xavierginesta