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Subject:

TCI News letter February 2004

Category:

TCI newsletter

From:

The Competitiveness Institute <bdoesborg[nospamplease]@competitiveness.org>

=========== The Competitiveness Institute Newsletter ==========
News from the cluster practitioners network Subscribe for free: http://www.competitiveness.org
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Constructing competitive advantage
TCI's annual Conference Ottawa, Canada
September 28 - October 1, 2004
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A word from the president
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As I write this the Executive Committee of TCI is meeting the
Board of Advisors in Boston where we discuss the overall strategy
of TCI and the results of the White Book. The outcomes will be
published on our web site soon.

More cluster activity is taking place right now (February 18-20)
in Tanzania where several TCI members stage a cluster conference
on Innovation Systems and Innovation Clusters in Eastern Africa.
The conference is being organised in collaboration with three
African universities: University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania),
Makerere University (Uganda) and Eduardo Mondlane University
(Mozambique).

I am also happy to announce the date for this year's annual
conference: it will take place from the 28 of September til the
first of October. TCI will launch the conference website within
next month providing more detailed information on the program
("constructing competitive advantage") and the location.

Wishing you all the best,

Alec Hansen

Clusters: Victorian businesses working together in a global
economy
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This Discussion paper is the outcome of several cluster
workshops, seminars and interviews conducted by a cluster working
group from the Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional
Development in Victoria, Australia. The aim was to contribute to
the development of a cluster policy framework in Victoria and
provides, not only a comprehensive overview of clusters and the
economic situation of Victoria, but also proposals for a Cluster
Facilitation Program.
More » http://www.competitiveness.org/article/view/159

Workshop: 'Clustering as a driver of innovation at regional
level'
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The IRC-IRE Central Unit (Innovation Relay Center and Innovating
regions in Europe Network) is organizing a workshop on cluster in
Abruzzo, Pescara, Italy on February 26-27.
More » http://www.competitiveness.org/article/view/160

Impact of clusters on Asian economies
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The Institute of Developing Economies (IDE) in Japan, under its
current mandate to provide for the ?expansion of trade relations
and [to] promote economic cooperation with all developing
countries and regions,? is currently embarking upon a major
research project that could provide valuable insight into the
true impact clusters have had on the Asian economy.
More » http://www.competitiveness.org/article/view/161

Future of the credit businesses in Germany and Europe
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The E-Finance Lab in Germany is a research consultancy that
develops effective management procedures/structures within the
financial service industry. Working in partnership with many
large corporations (Deutsche Bank, Accenture, Siemens,
Microsoft), researchers from Darmstadt University and J.W. Goethe
University state that their ?goal is to contribute methods and
views to the realignment of the financial supply chain."
Professor Dr. Mark Wahrenburg is leading a research-based project
that is attempting to illustrate the future picture of the credit
businesses in Germany and Europe.

More » http://www.competitiveness.org/article/view/162

Naturally Wood: Showing the way to the future of "Green Lungs"
and economic development
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On the 4th February, Chris Inglis, Executive Director of Forestry
and Timber Association in Scotland spoke at a conference on
Timber Markets and Marketing attended by 140 representatives of
Scotland?s forestry community. He said that : ?Cooperation,
information, and commitment is what is required from Scotland?s
forest owners if they want consolidation in the market and a
future for their growing resource.?
More » http://www.competitiveness.org/article/view/163

Recruitment of specialized consultants in The Balkans
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The Services Group, Inc. (TSG), an international economic
development consulting firm and member of TCI is trying to locate
a few European sector specialists who may provide consulting to a
large multi-year cluster competitiveness project in The Balkans.
The projects will focus on the Tourism, Agribusiness and Wood
Processing sectors.
More » http://www.competitiveness.org/article/view/164

New members
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Jörg Meyer-Stamer from Duisburg, Germany, working with
mesopartner, has gathered experience in research and evaluation
of cluster development since 1992. In 1996 he also started to
gain practical experience in cluster promotion working in Brazil.
The main focus of his current work is the development and
worldwide dissemination of the PACA method (Participatory
Appraisal of Competitive Advantage). PACA is being used to launch
local economic development efforts, including cluster
initiatives, in a number of countries.

Mawana Pongo represents our new organization member, "le
Ministère du Développement économique et Régional, Direction du
développement des filières industrielles de Quebec". The mission
of this ministry is to contribute to the economic development of
Quebec by supporting the competitiveness of companies and the
development of markets in order to create jobs. To achieve this
goal they use industrial development policies based on industrial
clusters.

Paolo Tenti, from TENTI Financial Management S.A. in Lugano,
Switzerland. He conducted the italian part of the research of
Harvard Business School for the "Competitive Advantage of
Nations" Book and wrote several studies on industrial cluster.

Luciano Ciravegna, a PhD Student from the London School of
Economics, UK, who is doing research on automotive clusters in
China, India, Brazil, and Mexico. He is a member of CSS, a
regional project for the revival of the Turin automotive cluster.

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