The Department of Human Geography and Economic GeographySGEK03Bachelor thesis 15 creditsHT18

A micro economic geography investigation

Does Restaurant Inspira facilitate local buzz – a localized advantage?

Sofie Skantz

Supervisor: Teis Hansen

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Abstract

Research within micro economic geography agrees that certain places create knowledge flow. However, few examples exist on micro perspectives emphasizing interpersonal interactive aspects. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to contribute with a case study on the concept of local buzz. The purpose has been to examine if Restaurant Inspira facilitates local buzz, thus offering a localized advantage for Medicon Village.

This case study is framed by a theoretical and conceptual approach. Three main ideas have been interpreted – Porter’s cluster theory, notions on proximity and the concept local buzz. This thesis draws inspiration from a relational economic geographic perspective, primarily posed by the researchers Bathelt and Giuliani.

A three-folded methodology has been used, called triangulation. Semi-structured interviews, a complementary content analysis of Medicon Village’s website and participant observations at Restaurant Inspira have all been combined into empirical findings.

Results show that local buzz, as in the global pipeline and local buzz-model, do exist and take place at Restaurant Inspira among members of Medicon Village. In this analysis, local buzz is argued as a crucial competitive advantage typical for clusters. Hence Restaurant Inspira should be perceived as a localized advantage for entire Medicon Village, facilitating informal idea exchange at intra-cluster level. However, the full potential in this regard seems not fully prioritized, nor realized, by Medicon Village or the restaurant itself. As a conclusion, Medicon Village has a substantial possibility to evolve their competitive advantage by acknowledging the theories of localized advantages and local buzz.

Key words: micro economic geography, local buzz, clusters, proximity, Restaurant Inspira – Medicon Village

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Table of contentsAbstract.....................................................................................................................................................1

1. Introduction......................................................................................................................................3

2. Aim, purpose and research questions...............................................................................................5

3. Delimitation......................................................................................................................................6

4. Theoretical framework......................................................................................................................7

4.1 Porter’s industrial clusters (cluster theory)...............................................................................7

4.2 Proximity – no clusters without proximity...............................................................................9

4.3 Local buzz – a localized advantage........................................................................................10

4.4 Knowledge spillover...............................................................................................................12

5. Methodology...................................................................................................................................13

5.1 Epistemological and ontological approach.............................................................................13

5.2 Case study approach as an umbrella device...........................................................................14

5.3 Semi-structured interviews.....................................................................................................15

5.4 Participant observations..........................................................................................................16

5.5 Short content analysis.............................................................................................................19

6. Analysis..........................................................................................................................................20

6.1 Being part of something bigger and taking part in an attractive context................................20

6.2 Food invites members of Medicon Village to participate......................................................22

6.3 Distrust, trust and competition................................................................................................25

6.4 Spontaneous or planned communication................................................................................26

6.4.1 Local gossip to local buzz..............................................................................................26

6.4.2 Breaks make your brain awake – access to ideas by informal interaction.....................27

6.4.3 Spontaneous or planned interaction? Rather a mix, I would say....................................28

6.5 Common understanding and technical language....................................................................29

6.5.1 Everyone cannot participate, even if they are involved..................................................31

6.6 Restaurant Inspira – is it well adapted as a place to meet?.....................................................31

7. Conclusions....................................................................................................................................34

8. List of references............................................................................................................................37

Appendix A - Interview guide................................................................................................................39

Appendix B – Content analysis guide....................................................................................................40

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1. Introduction

The Swedish economist, teacher and author Klas Eklund once said:

“You should never keep knowledge to yourself, seek to share it instead.” (SVT, 2018, author’s translation)

Eklund used this phrase on the 10th of December 2018 when the Nobel Prize of Economics where given to William Nordhaus and Paul Romer, for research on knowledge spillover and people’s perception of climate change. Evidently, aspects of knowledge spillover and of people sharing inspiration and ideas among each others are currently and contemporary hot topics.

When economic actors exchange ideas it may be defined as an act of knowledge spillover. According to Lundberg (2008) actors choose to invest and in turn promote other actors to develop. Knowledge spillover and innovation is a widely used pair, because the key to innovation is said to be that knowledge spills over from one innovative establishment to another (Aoyama, Murphy, Hanson, 2011). This is often heard in regional and macro studies within the field of economic geography.

Furthermore, cluster research shows that knowledge spills over much easier in co-presence (e.g. Porter, 2000; Moodysson, 2008). This implies why there are an immense amount of cluster studies purposing the importance of close located economic actors. Proximity is key to cluster thinking. However, in order to deepen the understanding of the role of co-presence different non-spatial dimensions of proximity have brought in discussion to the importance of interaction and knowledge spillovers. Social relations and interaction residing in co-location and co-presence are highlighted facilitators of knowledge and idea exchange.

The conception of local buzz expands the idea of knowledge exchange. According to the pioneers of the global pipeline and local buzz-model, Bathelt, Maskell and Malmberg, local buzz originates in clusters by co-present actors who share the same social and economic context and therefore spontaneously and informally interact with each other. Therefore it is seen as a localized advantage limited to clusters. Local buzz is found to be typical in lunch rooms where colleagues frequently may encounter each other as well as other cluster members.

A real-life example of where local buzz takes place is at a restaurant called Restaurant Inspira at the center of the life science cluster Medicon Village located in Lund, consisting of over 120 companies. The restaurant is well-attended with regular returning guests. Here are members within the related industry of Medicon Village gathered during spontaneous or planned lunch breaks. According to the pioneers of the local buzz concept this facilitates options for knowledge flows consisting of gossip and news, hence why the restaurant may be an accurate setting for local buzz.

However, within the field of geography there is still little attention paid to micro perspectives emphasizing interpersonal interactive aspects of these spillovers. Micro perspective within

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economic geography still seems to be left to sociological and psychological disciplines. Instead, researchers appear almost stranded by regional and macro-leveled research on co-location and agglomeration industries, in which knowledge creation and knowledge flows are central performers.

Moodysson (2008) on the other hand, uses alternative approaches – often micro or meso oriented – in the attempt of analyzing interactive knowledge creation through concrete activities. Similarly, Giuliani (2007) combines economist’s perspective with economic geographer’s approaches on localized knowledge spillover and learning in clusters. The resent Nobel Prize on the same subject (The Nobel Prize, 2018), also highlights the contemporary relevance to further immerse in how we actually “seek to share” our knowledge (SVT, 2018).

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2. Aim, purpose and research questions

The aim of this thesis is to contribute to the earlier mentioned micro alternative approaches of Moodysson (2008) and to the relational dimension of localized knowledge purposed by Giuliani (2007) and Bathelt (2004; 2006; 2011). Thus, a micro geographic perspective is applied to this thesis, in contrast to the pervading macro studies of economic geography.

Further, few research contributions have been made on specific permanent sites in clusters, even though several researchers do highlight that certain places indeed creates knowledge flow. However, these assumptions are left without any further or deeper explanations (Moodysson, 2008). Therefore, this thesis also contributes with an illustrative and exploratory study, set in the context of a permanent site within clusters. Such a specific site is the restaurant at Medicon Village in Lund, surrounded by numerous medtech establishments. This is a unique unexplored setting that increases the contribution of this thesis.

The purpose of this qualitatively designed study is thus to examine the overall question: Is Restaurant Inspira a localized advantage for Medicon Village in matter of facilitating local buzz? Three sub questions are posed in order to reach this purpose question:

Are there applicable theories that speak for this specific local micro geography within clusters?

Is it possible to apply these theories to a real case scenario like Restaurant Inspira? Does it seem like the restaurant is aware of their significance for the entire cluster – do

they comply with their name Inspira?

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3. Delimitation

First, I let my interest for micro economic geography lead my way through the field of economic geography. Therefrom, I decided to delimit my search of literature to aspects residing from this specific scale of geography.

Second, reading through a large amount of literature I still did not find any typical examples of local micro geography within cluster contexts. More specifically, there was little written on restaurants and other permanents sites within cluster. Therefore, I already from the start wanted to contribute to the field of micro economic geography by studying a permanent place within a certain economic environment.

Third, there are several cluster complexes or science parks in Lund, for example IDEON, where you also may come across in fact numerous restaurants and cafes. Even though I had the chance to explore and complete my case study at IDEON for instance, I wanted to seek the more homogen based industry cluster. Because of the specialization in the field of life science, Medicon Village becomes particularly interesting in the context of cluster theory and notions of non-spatial proximity dimensions, in matter of members being part of a community and working towards a shared goal.

Lastly, this thesis focuses on local buzz particularly. Local buzz is one part of the overall global pipeline local buzz-model, focusing on informal and spontaneous communications by local cluster agents. I have chosen to extract it and apply it to my micro scaled case. This is why the second part about global pipeline is not further highlighted.

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4. Theoretical framework

In order to reach an analysis of the specific case study a theoretical and conceptual perspective needs to be applied. Thus, for this part the framework of this thesis will be presented. Three main ideas have been approached, more specifically, Porter’s cluster theory, notions on proximity and the concept local buzz. Notions on proximity and clusters are intertwined, from where the conceptualization of local buzz resides.

In addition, inspiration is drawn from Giuliani (2006) and Bathelt (2004; 2006; 2011), who want to thoroughly understand economic and social processes beyond spatial predetermined descriptions, advocates a relational economic geography perspective. Aspects and factors of this ‘relational turn’ is emphasized throughout the thesis. These aspects will now be briefly presented.

In his study, Bathelt (2011) claim spatial scientists to neglect the actor at the expense of treating space as the object of knowledge. Bathelt (2006) moves beyond these traditional approaches and assert an altered view of the role of space. Those of a relational perspective reason for economic geography studies to emphasize action and interaction of economic actors, rather than space and spatial categories (Bathelt, 2011). As Giuliani points out in her study from 2006, relational economic geography put questions about how interaction and economic actions coincide in different locations and between actors at different places. Adopting a micro geography perspective, emphasis is put on economic action as a social process (Giuliani, 2006).

In the attempt of examining local buzz at permanent site within a cluster complex, it is central to mention something about “the physical venue” as the significant meeting point in our cluster context. Even though the physical location has lost some of its significance to the global system, still it has been shown as a critical prerequisite in various development processes, not lest for metropoles (Törnqvist, 2004). It has for example been interestingly purposed by Törnqvist (2004) emeritus professor at Lund University, among others, that physical venues affect the stimuli of creativity. The fundamental prerequisite for people to encounter each other is that there is a place to meet. Thus, geography becomes prominent and significant.

Following, Porter’s cluster theory will be presented.

4.1 Porter’s industrial clusters (cluster theory)

In order to understand the role of a cluster restaurant like Restaurant Inspira and what effects it might have on local buzz as something that occurs in clusters, we need to implement a cluster context. In order to do so this thesis mainly departs from the cluster theory of Porter (1998; 2000).

By using the definition by Porter (2000:254) I interpret that “[a] cluster is a geographically proximate group of interconnected companies and associated institutions in a particular field,

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linked by commonalities and complementarities” and additionally consider clusters as a group of companies and institutions that furthermore offers a forum for dialogue (Porter, 2000).

Competitive advantages of clusters are described by Porter (1998; 2000) to be technological skills and productivity growth, on which firms compete and on terms they act. According to him, productivity is conditioned by business environment, which in clusters is driven by four interdependent localized influences, production (input) condition; demand conditions; related supporting industries; and context for firm strategy and rivalry, compiled as the “diamond model”. These factors does in the same time affect the degree of innovation and their interdependence generates a competitive driving force within each separate cluster company (Maskell, 2001; Aoyama, Murphy, Hanson, 2011; Edgren & Skärvad, 2014). The latter driver is important to incorporate since the main theme stressed by Porter is the link between clusters, company strategy and competition. Being located in clusters brings competitive advantages summarized into three. First, firms increases their productivity, second, improved innovative capacity and third, stimulation for new business formation that supports innovation and expands the cluster. While knowledge creation and innovation are suggested cooperative benefits, the dominant driving force for industrial clusters is believed to be competition. However it is clarified by Porter (2000) that most participants do not compete directly.

For clusters to boost productivity, Porter (2000) speaks of the idea of complementarities and suggests a mutually dependence of parts of the cluster, where bad performances by one part undermines success of the others. In addition, joint marketing is here announced as to improve the reputation of a location, exemplifying another form of complement within clusters (Porter, 2000).

Proximity, inter-firm interaction and learning are all characteristics of clusters. Proximity used per se as a competitive advantage, on the other hand, is not true Porter (2000) argues, because input can efficiently be sourced from any locality. Instead, co-location – as another way of approaching proximity – does more importantly serve as source of knowledge and information transfers. Co-location has also been found to encourage common technological attitudes between local actors over time, on which trust-based linkages are built (Bathelt, 2011). Additionally, Porter (2000) implies a mutual effect of fostering trust and knowledge sharing. Consequently, one could argue it is an on-going cycle where clusters facilitate knowledge exchange that in turn reinforces clusters, but not to neglect a possible degrading cycle as well if bad handled.

A very telling quote of Porter (1998:1) may end this cluster section by expressing that: “[p]aradoxically, the enduring competitive advantages in a global economy lie increasingly in local things-knowledge, relationships, and motivation that distant rivals cannot match.”

Next section continues on presenting notions on proximity, upon which cluster thinking stems.

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4.2 Proximity – no clusters without proximity

Agglomerations and clusters are based on proximity and it is a building block in cluster theory. This section will present relevant notions on proximity in order to further on approach a cluster advantage called local buzz.

Writings on clusters and innovation systems are brought in consensus that integrated actors are more advantageous than those who act in remote location (see e.g. Hansen, 2014). Basically, the main reason why proximity is a widely used concept is that it tells us that people are closer together and geography researchers on innovation and collaboration (see e.g Moodysson, 2007; Hansen, 2014) agree that geographical proximity simplify interactions, in which people share experiences, ideas and knowledge.

When partners, actors and companies are arranged in close relationships, information interpretation and exchange becomes more accessible. It has been shown, however, that too much connection leads to lock-ins. To clarify, cognitive proximity is something that must be carefully weighted so it does not harm degrees of novelty and balances of understandability (Porter, 2000; Hansen, 2014). In accordance to Hansen (2014:378) cognitive proximity is here referred as “the extent of similarity in knowledge bases”. Non-spatial dimensions like this are applied by researchers who put emphasis on interactions and relationships (see e.g. Hansen, 2014). A relational economic geography perspective uses proximity to highlight the opportunity of face-to-face contacts. These are said to enable social relations, and are per se claimed as a competitive advantage (Bathelt, 2006). Spatial and relational proximity are considered two important types of relational patterns. However, they are not interdependent, because social relations are believed to still be possible without spatial proximity, but with relational proximity integrated. The expression of Zeller (2004:88) shed light in relational proximity as crucial to our case: “[...] every exchange within and among firms are based on personal relations”.

Even though non-spatial dimensions are argued significant for knowledge exchange and interaction, yet geographical proximity cannot be separated or absent in face-to-face contacts because we always act in space.

Taking these notions on proximity, spatial and non-spatial dimensions, it becomes evident that they are crucial, not only in cluster theory but also for establishing connections and relations between economic actors. These aspects may help when examining how members of Medicon Village interpret and comment on if relational linkages and social relations within the cluster are helpful during knowledge and idea exchange among cluster members and especially at site at Restaurant Inspira. Furthermore, notions of proximity are fruitful since this study attempts to explore a particular setting where face-to-face contacts actually take place. Since relational proximity often is widely highlighted, especially by relational economic geographers, it is particularly interesting to explore if this dimension may be considerable for members of Medicon Village who participate in intra-cluster communication.

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4.3 Local buzz – a localized advantage

Another advantage exclusive for clusters is that of an internal communication, approached here as local buzz. Cluster actors of a related industry hold on to similar knowledge bases and interests and have access to frequently interact with each other. Local buzz takes place as a result of cluster actor’s face-to-face communication built upon rumours and gossip of other firms located in the cluster. Participating in cluster’s buzz, does not require any particular investments that can be costed or quantified, according to Bathelt (2011). Local buzz is in other words a localized advantage limited to cluster environments and is an example of what is termed as untraded interdependencies.

Shortly, spatial proximity is in this case important. It opens up numerous possibilities for frequent meetings and communication, which stipulate personal contacts and reinforces relational proximity (Bathelt, 2011). Co-presence and co-location is in literature on local buzz equated as “gold mines” of face-to-face contacts. Even though modern technology help us to easily exchange goods and knowledge, economic success still depends on local resources. Faced with this paradox, it is strongly motivated to incorporate aspects happening at micro level between people as economic actors. General speaking, the conception of local buzz expands the idea of knowledge exchange and is in this study used as a conceptual tool when approaching the interaction occurring in a particular permanent site within a cluster complex, more specifically at Restaurant Inspira at Medicon Village.

What is local buzz then? Bringing inspiration from similar ideas Maskell, Malmberg and Bathelt framed the concept local buzz in order to better understand spatial configurations of interactive learning at local and global scales. As Aoyma et al (2011) reminds us of, one should not neglect the influences of global knowledge (global pipeline) on local routines (local buzz). However, approaching local agents at a micro level, this thesis focuses on local buzz particularly, why the features of global pipeline are not further highlighted. According to Moodysson (2008), the pioneers conceptualize local buzz as an outcome of social relations, spontaneous, informal and even accidental knowledge exchange.

Figure 4.5: Visualizing model of Local Buzz and Global Pipelines, illustrating the interdependence of actors, cluster and institutional context. Source: (Bathelt, Malmberg, Maskell, 2004:46).

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Co-location and face-to-face contacts within a cluster that encompasses same industry is argued to give rise to a particular communication ecology which is known as ‘buzz’ (Bathelt et al. 2004; Bathelt, 2011). Co-presence within the same social and economic context generates opportunities for frequent meetings and communication between local agents, which may lead to friendship and business partners at the same time (Ibid, 2004; 2011). Local buzz is moreover comprehended as an outcome of actors benefitting from just “being there”. This is why the participation does not require any particular investments. However, just “being there” does not mean that co-location is beneficial per se. Instead we need to shed light on the significance of participation. Actors need to participate in various social and economic spheres in order to make use of the advantageous interaction and to automatically receive information and communication. In this sense local buzz tend to be unavoidable, but on the other hand, since local buzz is no direct outcome of co-location, this also means that just saying hello to other cluster actors is not enough either (Ibid, 2004; 2011).

Sometimes smooth diffusion of buzz within the cluster can be somewhat blocked due to history of social relations between local actors. Moreover, distrust is noted as a factor that makes local buzz rather unlikely (Bathelt et al, 2004), while trust is repeatedly taken as significant feature.

Local buzz is explained as a source of and access to information, since those who participate receive news, gossip and rumours about other firms located in the cluster. Bathelt (2011) adds that both tacit and codified knowledge flows take place during personal meetings and communications that may be planned or occur spontaneously, such as over lunch with colleagues and other employees, in phone calls during office hours or talking with neighbors in the garden. Therefore the nature of buzz is stated as spontaneous and fluid and sometimes accidental (Bathelt et al 2004, Bathelt, 2011).

Apart from the spontaneous and fluid nature of buzz and that frequent personal meetings are more accessible thanks to spatial proximity, Bathelt (2011) stresses local buzz as to encompass shared interpretative schemes and cultural traditions along with common understandings of new knowledge and technologies by constant and specific updated information. Similar technical language and attitudes are assumed to help agents to make use of the local buzz, thus access resources (Bathelt et al, 2004). Similar technical languages and attitudes and the fact that information flows spontaneously, does also help actors to navigate and recognize relevant and useable signs and information (Bathelt, 2011). Moreover, and similar to what is stated in literature on proximity (see section on Proximity), shared interpretative schemes and cultural traditions help develop a collective vision of the core of the cluster, for example the core industry (Bathelt et al, 2004).

According to Moodysson (2008), Giuliani has suggests that knowledge flows are highly dependent on actors’ absorptive capacity, which means that even if they are involved in these locally determined systems of social relations not all actors in a regional cluster can make use of the content of the ongoing local buzz. Due to a high degree of specialization within their

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overall theme of “life science” maybe not all members of Medicon Village are able to participate in the current local buzz that might take place at their local restaurant.

Taking these facts together, it becomes apparent why scholars like to interpret co-presence within the context of clusters as more advantageous in comparison to those firms who are isolated (e.g. Porter, 2000).

4.4 Knowledge spillover

Local buzz equates with localized advantage and as a local value. Knowledge spillover is another advantage by locating closely to related economic actors. Advantages for economic actors to get close in clusters, in particular, come clear in the context of knowledge spillovers. Knowledge tends to diffuse from cluster firms to an intra-cluster level and with it increase collective competences. Knowledge spillovers will here be defined as a voluntary act of knowledge sharing. Often tacit and codified knowledge are terms used to distinguish between how knowledge is obtained. This thesis approaches the latter.

Even though the concept of knowledge spillover and its effects has been found to be difficult to measure, operationalize and to demonstrate empirically in the contemporary presence (see e.g. Lundberg, 2008), it cannot be neglected or excluded from the context of clusters, since knowledge and spillover particularly constitutes reinforcement. Therefore, in spite, how and in what way knowledge might spill over across boundaries is needed to be incorporated into the discussion further on.

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5. Methodology

Initially this thesis takes a deductive research approach in the attempt of exploring a specific condition and hence applying the conceptual framework to my particular case. Since this study still takes a qualitative design the intention is also to reach for other sets of conclusions that necessarily are not found in previous enquiries. This study takes therefore a combined deductive and inductive path, but not fully an abductive approach. This thesis takes a triangulated method approach. This study is contextualized by adopting a case study strategy, in which semi-structured interviews are combined with participant observations and a short content analysis. The methodology is three-folded and navigated by the case study approach.

Firstly, semi-structured interviews have been conducted and completed undertaking an interpretive turn describing the specific restaurant at Medicon Village.

Secondly, participant observations have been completed, including myself as a researcher to the ongoing processes and thereby obtaining first-hand aspects of the specific setting.

Thirdly, a short and complementary content analysis of the website of Medicon Village has proceeded in order to analyze what purpose it seems like the restaurant have, according to Medicon Village themselves.

5.1 Epistemological and ontological approach

The triangulated approach serves to not only answer the posed research questions, but also to claim the answers produced (Graham, 2005). As a result, this specific three-folded methodology is united by one epistemological and ontological approach.

Rather straight forward, the present epistemology originate from “social reality has a meaning of human beings and therefore human action is meaningful”, leading to “the job of the social scientist is to gain access to people’s ‘common-sense thinking’ and hence to interpret their actions and their point of view” (Bryman, 2016:27). Learning this, the philosophy, thus epistemology of this research study, is to be put in an interpretative phenomenology standpoint. The philosophy of how individuals make sense of the world does in this sense bridge between this three-folded methodological design. Furthermore, according to Bryman (2016), phenomenological philosophy that sees human behaviour as a product of how people interpret the world is typical. From this stance, the thesis stems. However, a naturalistic stance is incorporated in addition, but importantly not to be interpreted in its classical and original form of naturalism. Rather, the naturalistic stance is here employed recognizing that “people attribute meaning to behaviour and are authors of their social world rather than passive objects.” (Bryman, 2016:43). We acknowledge therefore that social processes are highly context-specific and people bound, in line with what is highlighted by relational economic geography perspective (see Theoretical framework).

Even though idealism posing that we make our world in our minds is attractive in social science especially studying effects of people’s interaction processes, it cannot fully or be

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incorporated alone into this particular study. Rather, arguing for spatial configuration as determining factors of social communication, a different ontological approach is needed. As stated above, a relational economic geography perspective is put as the overall guidance of this thesis’ empirics and analysis, incorporating relational action in a spatial perspective. As stated by Bathelt (2006) himself, a relational view is particularly well suited in ontological terms. Accordingly, ontologically this thesis applies social relations as produced through relational action by shared formal and informal institutions determined by particular environments.

5.2 Case study approach as an umbrella device

A case study strategy folds like an umbrella over the methodological design. As presented by Yin (2014), case studies tend either to cover single or multiple cases. This is a single-case study and according to Yin (2014:16) it “is an empirical enquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon (the ‘case’) in depth and within its real-world context.” We have learnt that social relations and interactions are fundamental not least for innovation processes and knowledge spillovers (see Theoretical framework). Case studies are well positioned in these circumstances and conditions, since it follows a holistic view that considers processes rather than separate factors (Denscombe, 2009). Firstly and tellingly, no previous studies have been done concerning Restaurant Inspira in the context of a micro economic geography, contributing to this thesis’ uniqueness. Being curious about a very particular place, its’ natural occurring setting becomes significantly interesting and indeed important to take part of. I think an in depth single case-study of this kind will generate valuable insights, hence why it guide the methodological design and study throughout. In line with Yin (2014) I merit investigation of the contemporary context by thoroughly involving it into the enquiry and in that way seek to understand the real-world case.

To create an understanding of the specific setting, the Restaurant Inspira is described as follows. Every weekday Restaurant Inspira serves its guests four alternative dishes including a choice of salads, freshly baked bread, a soft drink and coffee. At maximum the restaurant can host around 300 to 400 guests at the same time, indicating that the area is large and is of high capacity. The restaurant is well-attended with regular returning guests, 50 percent are members of Medicon Village and 50 percent are primarily external guests all around Lund. There are different options for seating, round tables for five or long tables for up to twelve people, as well as more soft options like sofa seats. There is also a separate part of the lunch hall available for minor lunch lectures.

Stressed in Denscombe (2009), case studies are employed with the aim of both testing and to induce existing theories. This thesis adapts to the former, as I seek to illustrate and simultaneously attempt to explore (test) whether certain circumstances appears true also to the chosen setting. Furthermore, case study approach often emphasizes more than one method of data collection and since case study research comprises an all-encompassing method, such research is not limited to being a data collection tactic alone neither unique of its kind. These facts may clarify the triangulation of the empirical data for this study (Denscombe, 2009; Yin, 2014).

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At the hand of this case study approach a context-specific standpoint pervades throughout the thesis guiding its reliability and validity considerations. Lincoln and Guba, quoted by Bryman, propose a trustworthiness criterion of how good a qualitative study is (Bryman, 2016). Validity serve to issue if the research is studying what it is intended to study, while reliability issues if the data material is possible to rely on producing the intended study. Assessed qualitative research in specific, four branches of validity, reliability and objectivity are issued, namely credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability. Shortly, the fact that this thesis implements a triangulated methodology enriches the picture of the certain milieu in which different sources of data may be used to validate conclusions.

5.3 Semi-structured interviews

As a researcher to decide upon interviews as your main source of empirical data, you are preferably interested in the interviewee’s point of view and the interviewee’s perspective. This way of thinking unites all qualitative methods with the concern of collecting and exploring a deeper understanding.

Furthermore, as stated by Bryman (2016), it is the flexibility of the interview that makes it so attractive. In quantitative interviewing you are not able to vary the order of questions or, for instance, put new questions that follow up interviewee’s replies. In contrast, in qualitative interviewing these things among other can be done, in the attempt of seeking detailed and rich answers, as a result perhaps even alter the emphases of the research. Qualitative interviewing tends in other words to be flexible (Bryman, 2016). Seeking the flexibility, a semi-structured design has been employed.

The interviews were varied and different from each other, like they tend to be adopting a semi-structure strategy (Bryman, 2016). Implementing Bryman’s approach to semi-structured interviews, a list of questions elaborating on fairly specific topics were initially written in order to partly guide myself during the interview, partly guide the interview while it proceeded. The interview guide maintained fairly intact between the different interview occasions, only to differ depending on how the separate interviews proceeded (Appendix A). The questions asked during the interview were of course primarily posed to seek answers for the research questions of this thesis. Particularly important in research ethics is the fact of participant consent. For each and every interview I asked for permission of recording and for taking notes, and I assured my respondents about their anonymity and confidentiality.

Five semi-structured interviews have been completed. All respondents differ from each other. However, they all are members of Medicon Village working at different companies and departments and consequently at different buildings. Their inputs and insights of being members; how they value and interpret Restaurant Inspira differently; and their membership experiences, are indeed worthy and crucial to this research study, hence gently and thorough incorporated. On their behalf, anonymity is strictly adopted throughout the thesis.

The fact that all interview respondents are currently members of Medicon Village increases the credibility of its results. Concerning transferability, on the other hand, findings based on the interviews are, as stated above primarily context-specific meaning that they are based on

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individual experiences and perceptions. However, as highlighted by Robson (1993) and Valentine (2005), among other researchers, one should not disparage the strength of accessing people’s impressions and interpretations. Opposing positivist’s critique of interviews being objectively unable, emphasis is on interviews as an opportunity to explore the subjective values and thoughts of the individual respondent. Not necessarily a loss, interviews can never be replicated, only corroborated by similar techniques and studies, imprinting their inevitable worth.

I had the opportunity to meet and interview three out of five respondents. I let them decide where to meet and each interview was held at different places. The fact that these respondents were to determine the location brings an ecological validity advantage. The other two were telephone interviews. These were shorter and relied on on-beforehand determined questions, with the intention of bothering them as little as possible. These two were randomly chosen from a list found at the website of the Oncological Institution at Lund University. Initially, I learned that Lund University was a member of Medicon Village and I decided to seek for respondents that were based at the same organization as me. From the page at Medicon Village where all members are presented I randomly picked “Lund University - Avdelningen för onkologi och patologi, IKVL” who was one of nine different links associated with Lund University. Secondly, I went on to the specific internet page of the Oncological Institution at Lund University, were I withdrew my two telephone interview respondents. I called three different people who were labeled as members of Medicon Village, whereas one of them did not answer my call. Intentionally I called before lunch time, since I then expected lower loss.

Throughout the thesis analysis I have intentionally chosen not to translate the transcript from Swedish to English, in order of minimizing the risk of losing original pronunciations and details of significance.

5.4 Participant observations

Primarily, I planned to construct a quantitative research, completing structured observation as complement to a survey research. Due to disapproval of carrying out a survey at the restaurant I needed to chance my methodological plan along with the general research structure. As a result I decided to hold on to my curiosity about observation, approaching a qualitative design instead and therefore keep the idea of reaching for a field work of this type.

Expressed alike Robson (1993), many participant observers derives from a case study enquiry. Participant observation is often used in combination with other methods, for example interviews and document analysis. Since I considered the semi-structured interviews as main method and main source of data, the observations was meant to be complementary.

Participation observation and ethnography have in one way or another been involved in the core methodological traditions in human geography, yet there have been a tiny proportion of its use in the human geography field (Cloke, 2004). As a prominent element of data collection in ethnographic research seeking naturally-occurring situations, participant observation simultaneously increases the ecological validity of the specific enquiry, which more often entails qualitative research as stronger than quantitative (Bryman, 2016). Taking these facts

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together, participant observations in particular becomes significantly interesting and highly valuable also when the researcher herself takes the opportunity to experience the actual setting in which social processes are produced. It undoubtedly contributes to the uniqueness of this thesis.

To go out and actually watch people is quite common when behaviour and actions of people is core to a study, according to Robson (1993) who claims it as a common case of all sorts of enquiry. Especially since the restaurant at Medicon Village is easily accessed one should not neglect the valuable opportunity of getting at the “real life” in the “real world” (Robson, 1993:191). Apart from studying people, and since geography is the field within this thesis is written, I focused on the specific spatial setting as well, in order to gather knowledge about in what way guests are in fact able to move and act. No photos were taken due to disapproval, but it could have been a good illustrator for the reader.

Moreover, engaging in one specific unit of analysis there is an access to an in depth study consisting of a large amount of details. This is indeed true using participant observations. A temporal boundary needs to be considered when approaching questions if the completed participant observations are producing believable findings and concerns about the likelihood of applying them to other times – credibility respective dependability. However, as it is well stated how, where and when my observations were carried out, similar study and techniques may be replicated.

What role as observer you intend need to be specified when considering participant observation your method. I decided to take on an un-participatory role, because I did not seek to make any field interviews or to verbally interact with people around me. Despite the latter, during one of my observations I shortly spoke to a woman sitting diagonally in front of me, making it impossible to fully argue that I strictly followed my former intentions. My plan was only to observe, hence I name myself as non-participant observer. Since I carried out my observations I took part as a lunch guest as much as the rest of the guest one could argue that I still participated, but yet my purpose was certainly different from other guests, bringing me other perceptions of the setting. As argued by DeWalt and DeWalt (2011:112) “all observation includes an observer” meaning that the observer need to realize herself as the primary tool. Similar is stated by Robson (1993), claiming the observer as the research instrument.

Initially, I constructed a categorical and thematically schedule from which I was hoping to take my field notes fairly organized and hopefully being able to test to what extent “local buzz” occurred during my visits. It is not fully agreed among scholars of the significance of completing categorical and coded field notes. The disagreement concerns disadvantages of fixing your observance to certain on-beforehand decided categories or themes, resulting in that the researcher neither notice appearances nor take them into account (Fangen, 2005). Learning this in advance of performing the observations I updated my schedule into a more unfixed structure. Consequently, I intended to use and to follow the strategy put forward by Robson (1993) stating an intertwined observation and analysis scheme, adopting an analytic induction process, compiled by five steps.

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1. I formulated a rough definition of the phenomenon of interest that were to be “does local buzz takes place at the restaurant?”,

2. I put an initial hypothetical explanation of this phenomenon. 3. Third step was to observe to determine whether this hypothesis fit or not. 4. Step four was to reformulate the hypothesis or to redefine the phenomenon that was to

be explained, whether the hypothesis did not fit. 5. Last step was to repeat, which I did by completing a second observation. According to

Robson (1993:201) it brings confidence to your hypothesis if you increase the number of situations fitting the evidence.

Two participant observations were carried out at Restaurant Inspira at Medicon Village in Lund, not counting my visit during two of the interviews or my quick visit early in the research period getting an overall view of the particular site. I planned to visit the setting during a certain set of intervals, more specially, for an hour and a half each time. I intentionally arrived during peak time and I chose days during two separate but subsequent weeks. The opening hours at Restaurant Inspira are between 11.30 and 13.30.

During both observations I constantly took jot notes, supported by a set of on-beforehand decided categories and questions. Learning what DeWalt and DeWalt (2011) stresses about jot notes getting translated into field notes as soon as possible after the event, I translated my jot notes directly after each occasion, decreasing the risk of forgetting details.

In order to actually make any sense of what I experienced, I needed to analyze and observe in the same time. According to Robson (1993), analysis and data collection take place at the same time and are thereof difficult to separate. This statement correlates with the perspective that our social world involves subjective meanings whereupon participants act and reinforce their world view. Similarly, DeWalt and DeWalt (2011) experience that field notes are the first, second or perhaps third step in the process of analysis, which furthermore explains the contradiction of field notes being raw material and analysis at the same time.

Lastly, informed consent is widely stressed by scholars examining this method. In the case where the researcher employs a concealed observant role, people being observed are not given the opportunity to express their consent. Observations cannot be dependent on informed consent when they aim toward studying research objects in their natural habitat without them knowing. Two main arguments may defend this latter circumstance. Partly, the researcher is able to argue of certain ethical considerations, partly may the researcher prove that people involved can never be identified (Densombe, 2009). This is indeed strictly interpreted throughout the thesis. However, as always using an ethnographical based method, being aware of consequences of research objects getting affected by the appearance of the observer is critical.

5.5 Short content analysis

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The intention of a content analysis carried out at the website of Medicon Village has been to at a basic level examine if Medicon Village consciously support local buzz by offering a restaurant where informal interactions may occur.

Similar to participant observations, content analysis is claimed by several researchers as a complementary method and is well suited combined with other methods (see e.g Fangen, Denscombe, Bryman, Robson, DeWalt & DeWalt). In spite of content analyses often being based on a great amount of documents or other kinds of written material this rather “limited edition” should still be considered of empirical value as it produce unique insights to the enquiry as it simultaneously expand a thorough study. As stated by Fangen (2005) amongst others, content analysis is a method that may take various turns having different procedures and purposes. Possibilities of replicating the exact same content analysis may be complicated because of the online source continually being updated. Yet, the primary purpose of its application was to generate background information for the participant observations, as often is the case according to Fangen (2005).

Stated by Denscombe (2009), content analysis is as most adequate when the content has a communication purpose, rather than with a subtle meaning. The website of Medicon Village is overall a tool for communicating what the cluster has to offer and a marketing process of the company, not primarily using obstructing or excessive complex contents.

A pilot study was initially constructed, a common known procedure in order to refine and define the actual study. I started to examine the tabs – what types of words there were used to describe the content beneath and what that seemed to reflect. For example, I tried to incorporate why the headings were colored a certain way. The pilot study should not fully be repudiated, since some details were relevant.

Redefined and refined, the content analysis was carried out by using three categories, interaction, co-location/co-presence and personal contact or relation, operationalized by indicators either put in questions or through separate characteristics (see Appendix B).

In order to perform and to fulfill the content analysis I initially needed to pose the specific content research question that in turn determined what type of categories were to be used (Robson, 1993). Issuing the question “what role does Restaurant Inspira have according to Medicon Village expressed at their website?” and more specifically; “what words are used associated to Restaurant Inspira at the website of Medicon Village?” I primarily intended to count the quantity of categories associated with the concept of “local buzz”.

I decided to look at how the website links to and guides to the pages where Restaurant Inspira or the word “restaurant” is mentioned. Therefore, I posed the question: in what way do they link to the specific page presenting the restaurant and for what purpose does it seem to be?

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6. Analysis

The analysis of this thesis is based upon the research questions posed for this thesis. Therefore this section is structured as follows. In section 6.1 the value of co-presence and the value of taking part of something attractive is analyzed and discussed, whereas section 6.2 presents the role of food in matter of local buzz. Section 6.3 and 6.4 elaborates on what kind of conversations may take place at the restaurant depending on certain circumstances. Since the pioneers of the local buzz and global pipeline-model advocates that local buzz in clusters encompasses flows of gossip and news about other actors located within the cluster, it is determined whether this is the case also at Restaurant Inspira. Section 6.5 presents an discussion on what type of member of Medicon Village may participate in current ongoing cluster’s buzz, whereas section 6.6 concludes by the question if the restaurant is adapted enough in order to facilitate local buzz.

6.1 Being part of something bigger and taking part in an attractive context

Being located in a cluster facilitates possibilities for co-present actors to take advantage of. Frequent interaction and face-to-face communication are easily established being proximate to related actors within a cluster that is based upon a specific scientific field (Porter, 1998; Bathelt et al, 2004; Bathelt, 2011). Therefore it is reasoned that co-presence within the same economic and social context generates a particular communication ecology referred to as local buzz (Bathelt et al, 2004). In this sense it needs to be uncomplicated to encounter actors within the same cluster in order to establish face-to-face contacts (Thufvesson, 2004). A permanent place like a cluster restaurant, like Restaurant Inspira, is frequently available for cluster members and may be useful for establishing face-to-face communication. Therefore is Restaurant Inspira at Medicon Village in Lund particularly interesting to study. Restaurant Inspira has been shown to be attractive and well-attended. This is an important piece in the local buzz puzzle.

Proximity is, as known, the main argument in cluster theory bringing the notion on co-presence, which simplifies interaction, communication and idea exchange. Innovation processes have been detected as a result of co-present agents in co-location, why cluster theories has been widely requested (Porter, 2000). Researchers like Zeller (2004), Hansen (2014) and Moodysson (2007), among others, move on to the non-spatial dimensions of proximity in matter of deepen the discussion of co-presence. These dimensions of proximity put emphasis on people as knowledge containers. Therefore it is of significance for integrating interactive and relational aspects into micro level enquires. Medicon Village as a science park place knowledge intensive agents in co-presence within the field of life science, which theoretically enables them to gradually build relational linkages.

Marketing is indeed a dependent factor also for Medicon Village as a profitmaking company. The short content analysis of the Medicon Village website resulted in findings of two general purposes of the restaurant. First, Restaurant Inspira seems to be reflected as a daily advantage of a Medicon Village membership. The discourse throughout the website regarding

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Restaurant Inspira reflects the idea that Medicon Village want to offer their members a place to meet over food and coffee, which also the heading “Day-to-day practical advantages of being a member” under which the restaurant is mentioned, may indicate. Restaurant Inspira is in other words primarily a daily advantage and one out of many facilities that Medicon Village has to offer their members. In addition, following extract is found at the website page under the tab “Book a meeting room”:

“We realise that catering can make or break an event. Our restaurant and café, Inspira, is a highly professional organisation dedicated to adding to your delegates’ positive experience.” (Medicon Village, Meeting rooms, 2018).

Second, the restaurant is to represent a positive experience of Medicon Village in general, also for occasional visitors. Placing the website into marketing context, it makes it obvious that achievements and success are highlighted along with membership advantages, where the restaurant is stated as one of many.

At the Medicon Village webpage, the restaurant is presented as an opportunity for meetings and an access to meet other employees, but not necessarily as a purpose. Yet I recognized that there is significantly little usage of the word interaction, in specific, in their communication. Literature on local buzz equates co-location and co-presence with interaction and face-to-face contacts (Bathelt et al, 2004; Bathelt, 2011). Furthermore, cluster actors who are served these face-to-face contact opportunities need to participate in order to benefit from information flows from local buzz and therefore intra-cluster interaction is vital making it possible for local buzz to take place in the first place. Because there is a poor presentation of interaction as a main advantage of being a member, one could boldly argue that Medicon Village as a company might not be aware of the potential of Restaurant Inspira, in matter of facilitating local buzz.

One of my interview respondents, who own the restaurant together with three others, expressed the idea of an added value when being asked what the reason could have been when establishing the restaurant in the first place. As a company, it is highly valuable to be able to show both externally and internally that something extra is offered and that the residents are cared about (interview with owner, December 6, 2018). This adds on to the marketing of Medicon Village.

Next is an extract from one of the interviews with an employee at Medicon Village. The respondent’s opinion is that the science park would not be the same without the restaurant, because it adds value to the attractiveness of the office complex:

“I: Har det stor betydelse att det ens finns en restaurang? R: ja det tror jag definitivt att även om man inte tänker på det direkt så långvarigmässigt så hade det nog inte varit lika attraktivt arbete där men det hade inte varit samma inte funnits samma möjligheter alltså på området ifall man inte hade haft nån typ av restaurang alltså möjlighet och även om det inte händer särskilt ofta så tror jag att det är väldigt viktigt när man har till exempel större lunchseminarier lunchkonferenser och när de är större event att det finns nånting man kan äta och ja liknande jag tror att det e väldigt viktigt för själva området

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att det finns det tror jag” (interview with MV employee, December 4, 2018, author’s emphasis)

The restaurant is evidently highly valued by someone who works at Medicon Village. It is expressed that Medicon Village certainly would not be as attractive without the different facilities establishing various possibilities. Moreover, the respondent thinks that it is hard to interpret “the place” without the actual restaurant and gradually you realise that “small things like this” become important, it is added (interview with MV employee, December 4, 2018).

The sense of community and the feeling of belonging somewhere is reflected by another employee placed at a Contract Research Organization company within Medicon Village who I got to interview. Despite 120 companies this interviewee still experience that they all work within same industry and towards same goals (interview with MV employee, December 19, 2018). Gathered around the field of life science, members may interpret the sense of community, consequently and automatically bringing a sense of closer relationship (interview with MV employee, December 19, 2018). This expression fits well with the heading “being part of something bigger” that Medicon Village uses at their website. Thus, being co-located with actors of similar goals and of a related industry increases the opportunity for personal contacts and accessible options for encounters.

The notion of complementarities as brought by Porter (2000) may also be a fact regarding Medicon Village. Since Porter (2000) speaks of all parts of a cluster being mutually dependent, I think that the same may be for Medicon Village and Restaurant Inspira, placing significant value at the restaurant on which the cluster as a whole is dependent – clearly a heart. As I was told during one of my interviews, a well-attended restaurant that offers different sorts of dishes all weekdays, serve to put Medicon Village both with an external and internal reputation onto the market (interview with owner, December 6, 2018). In addition the interviewee reflects upon that instead of hiring an office in town, firms get to take part of top quality labs, meeting rooms and a restaurant as well. This exemplifies what Porter (2000) interpret as joint marketing in the context of complementarities. Furthermore, as noted during another interview, thanks to a meeting place like Restaurant Inspira where many members are gathered may boost the value of being part of a bigger overarching goal. The restaurant is an important facilitator, which the name “Inspira” has been tried to oblige.

In this co-presence analysis I have presented the importance of taking part in co-presence and to be located in a cluster that offers places like Restaurant Inspira to its cluster members. Two purposes have been found regarding the established restaurant: a. marketing, b. added value. Interaction seems, however, not prioritized as a purpose expressed neither by Restaurant Inspira nor Medicon Village themselves.

6.2 Food invites members of Medicon Village to participate

Restaurant Inspira focuses on quality food (interview with owner, December 6, 2018). The food served at the restaurant invites members to participate in a social and economic context, and this is an important analysis because it is another piece to the puzzle of local buzz.

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Local buzz is believed be beneficial for participant actors. In order to make use of interaction and to automatically receive information and communication, it is not enough only saying hello to other cluster actors (Bathelt, et al. 2004, Bathelt, 2011). Consequently, co-location has no significant value if actors do not participate in frequent social and economic spheres. Since people tend to gather over food, Resturant Inspira is an important factor. Asking my respondents if the food is of any significant value, they all agree to that the food is an important factor that serves to bring people together, and not only members of Medicon Village. To have a restaurant available, of course increases potential of participating in local buzz. According to my respondents, the restaurant is primarily seen as a frequently available access for food, due to the lack of other close restaurants (interview with MV employee, December 4, 2018; interview with MV employee, December 19, 2018). Interestingly, more than one respondent interprets the restaurant as the heart of the cluster, a place to “hustle and bustle” and a place where people come together. Below is a short outtake from the transcription of the interview with one of the employees (“R”), reflecting upon the restaurant as a valuable meeting point:

”R: Jag tror det är jättegivande att komma hit faktiskt [mm] att istället för att du vet gå till micron äta vid sin plats som man ju gör ibland såklart men det är jättebra att det här alternativet finns I: Du skulle säga att det har ett slags värde att det finns en restaurang överhuvudtaget?R: Ja, absolut! Jag tycker det är stort värde det är ju ändå en mittpunkt också i hela den här liksom företags (..) I: tänker du byggnads – infrastrukturmässigt? R: Ja ja det tänkte jag nu men även liksom mötesmässigt att man kan gå hit och käka och det finns ju också gym här [...]”

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Figure 6.2: Illustration of the central location of Restaurant Inspira at Medicon Village. See circled in yellow. Source: (Author’s photograph, 2018-11-13)

This photograph is taken at Medicon Village to illustrate the central location of the restaurant shown on a map.

The fact that the restaurant is here considered as a focal point and a place to meet other members of Medicon Village may confirm that proximity facilitates face-to-face contacts. Similar to what has been phrased during interviews, evidently the restaurant opens up for participation in different social and economic spheres because the food attracts people. Moreover, I noticed during my observations that the restaurant is well attended, especially during peak time around 12 o’clock. This experience illustrates that the restaurant is in fact highly requested by its guests.

Local buzz takes place as an outcome of participants’ frequent communication and information exchange. One of the interviewees reflect upon this aspect by expressing that the cluster would neither feel nor be the same if there only were an option for “fika” or coffee. Even though management researchers, among others, suggests that even minor meeting points like coffee machines are important for accidental informal interactions and idea exchange, my respondent says that longer talks are more comfortable over a meal, since a thorough interaction is not possible over a cup of coffee, often while standing up. This aspect supports

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that local buzz is not an automatic outcome of just “being there”, as claimed by Bathelt et al (2004), and proves that genuine participation is required.

My results indicate that food, quite obviously, is the primary focus for the company Restaurant Inspira. Certainly, members of Medicon Village and external actors are invited to gather over the food. However, dependent upon economic purposes of the restaurant (there needs to be a circulation of guests), people do not have the opportunity to sit and gossip for hours and dive deep into a complex conversation. The “heart” is evidently incorporated, now the “brain” is left to fully get included as well making sure that local buzz is perfectly facilitated.

6.3 Distrust, trust and competition

Apart from participation being a requirement for receiving information in local buzz, certain circumstances may affect the extent of participation and the outcome of involvement. These aspects will now be discussed, highlighting distrust, competition and trust as decisive factors.

In their study on clusters and knowledge, Bathelt, Malmberg and Maskell (2004:39) note that “co-location and visibility generate potentials for efficient interpersonal translation of important news and information between cluster actors”. However, they also postulate the fact that contemporary interactions may sometimes be somewhat blocked due to social history and structure of social relations (Bathelt et al, 2004). Moreover, they exemplify this by arguing distrust as a factor that disrupts local buzz. Some thoughts that are emphasized by one of the restaurant owners as well as one of the members of Medicon Village may prove what these researchers intend to argue. Firstly, the member, who visits the restaurant quite regularly and mainly when lunch meal is left at home or when there is a planned lunch meeting, would say that those specific detailed discussions that may touch upon confidential content may be hindered because the restaurant is large, airy and open. Instead it feels more suited and adapted for topics comfortable in public. The interviewee (interview with MV employee, December 4, 2018) continues by adding that although no one probably intentionally eavesdrops, you deliberately choose what to talk about.

Secondly, I was introduced during one of the interviews to the fact that industrial espionage commonly takes place in medicine industries. Inferring this fact further, one could argue industrial espionage as an aspect of distrust, regardless officially or unofficially uttered. Remembering what Porter emphasizes about competitive advantages of being located in clusters, firms compete upon technological skills and productivity. In order to keep for instance unique skills or research results to the actual source, competitors are preserved and reserved in order not to leak any hints in advance. One of my respondents clarifies to me that if a “breakthrough” is close in time, there are most certainly specific details not allowed to be mentioned or to be shared with others. Competition as interpreted by Porter (2000), amongst others, does stimulate new business formation which implicitly also means new products, why firms or corporations not always want to share novel achievements that may be unique and generate success.

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People who experience trust are more likely to share. Similar technological attitudes encourage local actors to build trust-based linkages. Porter’s cluster theory tells us that not only cooperation but also competitive advantages are based on trust. Porter (2000) implies a mutual effect of fostering trust and knowledge sharing, which in turn strengthen the cluster environment, upon which productivity is conditioned. Evidently trust and trust-based linkages ease the particular communication ecology that entails idea exchange amongst those actors who are able to understand and participate. Looking back to what I was told about guests being able to listen to other guests without participating in the conversation themselves, could indicate that people collectively do experience trust and therefore are willing to speak and share, also in public. If distrust and espionage were official and openly practiced would the restaurant most likely be nearly quiet. Therefore, trust is crucial.

I have here presented that the dynamic of distrust, trust and competition indicate what type of buzz is possible in a public space like Restaurant Inspira and its effects on what people choose to talk about during their visit.

6.4 Spontaneous or planned communication

Moving on from the importance of trust versus distrust, this section elaborates on what type of local buzz seems to take place at Restaurant Inspira. It does also determine whether planned or spontaneous meetings give rise to its spontaneous and fluid nature built upon news, gossip and rumours about other firms located in the cluster. What do guests of the restaurant seem to talk about? Do they tend to meet each other according to plans?

According to the local buzz and global pipeline-model, informal interaction is a fundament for social relations that with it bring access to information. Medicon Village writes on the specific webpage of Restaurant Inspira that “there’s a cafeteria right next to the restaurant for informal meetings and catch-ups” (Medicon Village, Restaurant Inspira, 2018). In this case, on the other hand, it indicates that they might be aware of the appreciated informal conversations. However, since it is pronounced as an available opportunity next to the restaurant, makes one wonder if the restaurant in particular is intended for a different purpose.

6.4.1 Local gossip to local buzzIn his study on “local buzz and the relational economy”, Bathelt (2011) stresses the value of receiving gossip, rumours and news about other cluster firms. Personal meetings such as over lunch tables, in phone calls during office hours or while talking with neighbors in the garden, does according to Bathelt (2011) produce flows of codified and tacit knowledge. This pinpoints that co-presence within same economic and social contexts builds linkages between actors in a variety of ways. To participate in such ongoing buzz lay grounds for relations that cannot be established elsewhere.

Spontaneous and unplanned encounters between local agents, as well as planned and schedule meetings with strictly planned agendas, contribute to the existence of local buzz (Bathelt, 2011).

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I experienced during my observations that conversations around me were quite silent and that there was a cheerful atmosphere, hearing a lot of laughter and noticing happy facial expressions. Overall I got an impression of a good atmosphere, but I could at the same time not ignore the fact that not all conversations seemed to have the aim of telling a good story or a good joke. Even though people were smiling they seemed to speak of deliberate content as well, that was not necessarily intended to be funny. To have a dialogue regarding scientific topics in particular is highly dependent on actors who share knowledge bases and interpretative schemes, hence why non-scientific topics often are easier to informally, spontaneously and in a rather unstructured way share with others regardless scientific background.

My empirical findings illustrate local buzz as to frequently appear by the nature gossip. Gossip and news about other firms located in the cluster does evidently take place at Restaurant Inspira, that is, if agents participate.

Next is an extract from when I asked my interviewee what topics tend to occur during lunches at Restaurant Inspira. Conclusion came to be that topics occurred mostly spontaneously and informally. I was told that scientific news and gossip is mixed with everyday happenings. Fully dependent on with whom you talk to, I am told that most regularly you speak of everything under the sun.

“[...] så sån interaktion tror jag inte är helt ovanlig man får veta vilka olika företag som finns och vad de gör och hur man träffar på de från ( ) företagen och så får man höra lite av det här och gossip hur det går för ett visst företag och slash behöver de anställa slash har de anställda alltså sån typ av information men inte kanske ny kunskap i den mån att man lär sig saker man kan använda praktiskt sett” (interview with MV employee, December 4, 2018).

In addition, it is expressed that the communication is useful for different purposes, for example receiving gossip that opened up for job recruitment (interview with MV employee, December 4, 2018).

6.4.2 Breaks make your brain awake – access to ideas by informal interaction As much as we need our sleep to let our brain process our daily achievements, we need to take a break in the middle of our work. One of my interview respondent reflected upon that having lunch at Restaurant Inspira does not necessarily have the purpose of achieving idea exchange. Instead, to take a break and taking a step back to look at the project from another angle and let yourself process your current work, will bring new or redefined ideas. Further, the interviewee thinks that breaks are valuable regardless were they might take place. To meet colleagues from another department during a coffee break will generate almost priceless returns. You can invest 15 minutes in a coffee break and in return you may save inconvenient amount of hours by receiving information and ideas from another employee. Following phrase concludes: “det är jätteviktigt att prata och kommunicera med sitt eget företag o med andra företag med så det är det som också innebär att ta en paus” (interview with MV employee, December 19, 2018).

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It is in other words strongly valued to use breaks as an opportunity to step back for a while and let ideas reside from spontaneous and relaxed communication. This aspect is phrased during another interview as well. Relating to the fact that since lunch breaks often are off duty it opens the opportunity to relax and to sit back for a while, and to actually catch-up with colleagues much more informal. This is examplified in the following by one of the interviewees: “när man har lunch så är man ju ledig det är ju en tid som man inte tar betalt för generellt och även om man får det under lunchmöten så tror jag lite att det är av en avslappnad kick-back alltså då man kan chilla lite [...]” (interview with MV employee, December 4, 2018).

Interestingly, I recognized something very similar to what was said by these employees that proves their statement:

“I noted a man in the very end at the restaurant at an empty table in the upper corner, sitting by himself, wearing a suit, and reading a book. It was about 10 meter away so I could not see what type of book it was, but he did not seem that focused. I recognized that he also had brought his portfolio and his coat. He had seated himself facing the window, having is back away from the entrance.”

This man was not the only guest who arrived alone and was sitting by himself during the lunch meal. In fact it was quite common that people arrived by themselves and also to eat by themselves.

Based on both employees reflections breaks per se seem to be seen as an access to ideas and information, regardless if you speak or do not speak to anyone. Moreover, according to their experiences it seems like breaks and lunch breaks in particular tend to quite automatically introduce meetings and interactions to a relaxed and informal mode. Having a lunch break does in the same time tend to make people talk freely, spontaneously and informally, thus contributing to social linkages between actors.

6.4.3 Spontaneous or planned interaction? Rather a mix, I would say. When incorporating the fact that certain topics are not discussed in public in order to preserve specific scientifically confidential content from industrial espionage, one could argue the spontaneous nature of the local buzz is to some extent destined and predetermined.

During the first observation at the restaurant I recognized a group of four men in blue and grey suits (shirt, blazer and suit trousers). Only watching them for some seconds they appeared different in comparison to other guests around them, including myself, who were more casual looking and were in some sense more relaxed. It sounded like they were speaking about some decisions that were appropriate to discuss while being surrounded by others. The fact that they were too far away and that others were speaking around me, made it difficult to exactly hear what they were saying. Unfortunately, they were not staying any longer than about three minutes after I had recognized them. Based on the men’s appearance – what they wore and how they gesticulated – their communication seemed rather predetermined. Even though their content of topics probably was spontaneous to a certain extent, the buzz in-

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between them during that specific time was most likely predefined and designed to fit the actual group.

Based on participant observations and interviews I would argue that a mix of spontaneous and planned interactions takes place at Restaurant Inspira. Completed interviews produced different results, were two out of five would answer that they definitely visit the restaurant mainly for a planned meeting, often with colleagues.

Local buzz in the context of Restaurant Inspira may take the intended dimension of its nature while members of the cluster may host planned meetings at facilities offered to them like the restaurant. Since the restaurant is permanent, the option is always available, making it possible to actually plan lunch meetings. Therefore, local buzz may take place due to planned encounters, as much as it occurs because of spontaneous interactions. Buzz may also take place spontaneously because there is an alternative to lunch box-food and access for food every weekday, which may constitute an unintended, thus informal visit.

While having a dialogue with one of my interviewees about the opportunity of having a break during lunch time, the fact about encounter other employees is also mentioned. Since this person experience no particular problem arriving and having lunch alone at the restaurant, I am told that while arriving at the restaurants you sometimes find people to sit next to.

In contrast, another respondent never visits the restaurant alone. Instead, the focus is to have lunch with other employees and therefore it is in this case often a planned visit. Apart from that the informal lunch “meeting” is in this sense planned; the communication and topics may be spontaneously brought up. A mixture of spontaneous and planned communication is therefore identified.

Based on that both planned and spontaneous communication primarily built upon gossip and news may take place on the spot, there are good reasons to argue that there are possibilities to facilitate local buzz at the restaurant. The results shows that present buzz depend on gossip during lunch break or while during planned meetings.

6.5 Common understanding and technical language

Section 6.5 present analysis on who might take part of the local buzz among members of Medicon Village, depending on its content. Similar technical language is assumed to help agents to make use of the local buzz, thus access resources. In the context of Medicon Village, current technical language is knowledge intensive, excluding those actors who cannot interpret nor make use of it.

The cluster companies of Medicon Village connect within the field of life science. On the website it is stated that differences between members has a strengthening effect (Medicon Village, Live here, 2018). Observed by Hansen (2014) is the cognitive proximity that has to be carefully weighted with distance in order to bring new ideas and to broaden perspectives. Too narrow cognitive relationships may instead lead to lock-ins suppressing innovation processes. Taking this into account local buzz does not only encompass participation of

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related actors, but rather “a related variety” of actors. Members of Medicon Village are united by life science, but they are in the same time somewhat different from each other, carefully driven by competition and novel achievements.

The fact that members of Medicon Village, working for instance at clinical research companies, are able to sit and listen at other guests and in the same time receive gossip and rumours of other members during their time at Restaurant Inspira, may indicate that interpretative schemes does serve an important factor (interview with MV employee, December 19, 2018). Even though participants share similar technical language, not every topic discussed is always of worth. On the other hand, co-location and co-presence is evidently sufficient in order to bring members close together and make interaction, nonverbal or verbal, frequently accessible, as suggested by Bathelt et al (2004).

The field of life science creates a structure shared by the members, which furthermore is stated to simplify for local buzz to take place (Bathelt et al., 2004). But, are members of Medicon Village too cognitive distant from each other, suppressing a potential relational tie? According to my interview respondents being members of Medicon Village, a relational link is not the case today. Instead they experience that companies and actors placed within the cluster are too specialized and too niched, making it difficult to informally speak scientifically and share scientific conversation with the entire group. Therefore, I make the statement that the sense of relational proximity within the cluster is delimited due to very precise and specific technical languages. Unlike previous studies on local buzz being dependent upon relationships and social relation linkages, these findings suggests less worth of relational ties in matter of buzz.

Local buzz does, according to Bathelt (2011), takes place when face-to-face contacts share rumours, gossip and news about other firms located in the cluster. Idea exchange and “idea catching” serves therefore more often as a spillover-effect of guests participating in conversations while having lunch at the restaurant. Apart from that firms are highly specialized and knowledge intensive, they all connect under life science that is a very broad scientific field, consequently producing a local buzz that is rather general and unspecialized.

Lastly, findings of my study are comparable to those of Lundberg’s (2008), who suggest that knowledge spillover effects are to a larger extent important in knowledge-intensive industries and beneficial to smaller firms in particular. According to a respondent it may be more difficult to participate in conversations with bigger organization like Region Skåne because this organization is too diverse in comparison to small research companies. The size of companies may thus be significant regarding their dependence of participation in local buzz and of the information flow. Learning this, it could imply that bigger companies are not as dependent and present in the local buzz as much as smaller companies within same cluster. Large organizations or companies are likely to have in-house spillovers, but probably they still sometimes participate systematically in local buzz at places like the restaurant to catch some gossip of use.

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6.5.1 Everyone cannot participate, even if they are involved High specialization within the life science industry found at Medicon Village creates a particular environment in which only actors who qualify are able to participate. Knowledge tends to be shared, compared and redefined by co-present and co-located cluster firms who experience trust and are able to make use of the current localized social relation. Therefore, knowledge spills over much easier in co-location and by co-present actors, by whom personal contact and idea exchange foster technical advance and innovation for each individual firm taking part (Edgren & Skärvad, 2014). Learning that participation of actors is dependent on and affected by the absorptive capability not all firms are able to take part and to contribute to the knowledge spillover. The same is true for local buzz.

Considering absorptive capacity as highly essential (Moodysson, 2008), one could think that due to a high degree of specialization within their overall theme of “life science” not all members of Medicon Village are able to participate in the current local buzz and thus benefit from interacting across various boundaries during lunch at their local restaurant. Even if they are involved in the structure of life science and in the locally determined system of social relations, not all of them share the exact same knowledge bases, thus not the same absorptive capacity. Not all of them are therefore able to make use of the content of the ongoing local buzz.

Next is an extract of my field notes from my first visit at the restaurant:

“It seemed like the man sitting diagonally in front of me where guiding and pushing for the conversation, updating the other two with information. I also felt that the man who spoke with the Swedish accent kept glancing at me, like if he wondered what I wrote (I used an A6-notebook and a pencil). The two men sitting directly in front of each other almost where leaning in to each other and spoke in a lower tone. Some words were almost whispered between them.”

In matter of fact I could not gather any useable facts or information, which proves that an absorptive capacity and a shared interpretative scheme are highly necessary. Furthermore and in the same way, not all may benefit from sharing their thoughts. As mentioned above, one of my respondents clarifies to me that if a “breakthrough” is close in time, then associated content is indeed not shared since it is highly confidential. Considering these aspects, local buzz does seemingly only involve participants who have a relevant absorptive capacity and is only made up by those who benefit from sharing and receiving thoughts and ideas.

Interestingly, I am told by one of the owners of Restaurant Inspira who I interviewed that the restaurant is having regular guests. Learning this, it might indicate that there are explicit groups that generate and form the local buzz. As a result, they specifically benefit from the information flow that they produce.

6.6 Restaurant Inspira – is it well adapted as a place to meet?

This section focuses on observations of the main restaurant hall. There is a “chambre separee” (isolated part) at the restaurant available for bookings. Since I did not have access to it during

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my visits, I do not incorporate it here. For background information about the specific setting, see Methodology section.

Adopting a relational economic geography perspective, we learn that knowledge is people- and context-specific (Bathelt, 2011). Space is in this sense shaped by people, who holds knowledge. However, making it possible for people to act in space spatial configurations are required and essential. Space is the milieu in which we act. Therefore, space needs to be considered and explored as an entity in order to understand the acts of people. Since I completed participant observations at the specific site I gathered some knowledge about the characteristics of the restaurant setting.

First of all, according to Medicon Village “it’s a great meeting point, and it’s easy to feel part of the future” (Medicon Village, Restaurant Inspira, 2018). The expression ”feel part” does in addition illustrate co-present agents that act towards a shared goal, apprehended in a space like Restaurant Inspira. However, Restaurant Inspira is not a place where only food is served and where lunch meetings may be held. Conferences and bigger events are hosted here as well. These facts make it possible to argue that the restaurant opens up for participation in social spheres in various ways. Since it is possible to gather people in various ways at different times, the place is likely to be considered a specific meeting point. As highlighted by one of the owners of the restaurant, the spacious area makes it possible to gather a large number of guests at the same time (around 600 people at maximum), for example during a conference. As mentioned by the owner, this will market Medicon Village as the perfect host of events (interview with owner, December 6, 2018).

According to Thufvesson (2006) Hollingsworth claim the need for an easy access to freely encounter each other and introduce conversations with those who are not regularly in cooperation. As suggested by Hollingsworth, the physical venue should contribute to a social and intellectual proximity to facilitate table neighbors to unit and leave with new ideas and insights (Thufvesson, 2006). Non-spatial dimensions of proximity are empirical found elsewhere to generate the value and richness of meeting places. However, the spatial setting contributes to make this possible. For example, eight chairs are believed to be maximum making it possible for all to participate in the same conversation.

When completing my observations at Restaurant Inspira I noticed that there were twelve chairs for each separate table. With several tables joined the option for bigger gatherings was available. However, as I observed few companies consistent of more than seven people I got the impression that it seemed more difficult for all of them to participate in the same conversation. For example I noticed a group of ten young men arriving together, who all seemed to participate in the same conversation that mainly one of them steered. However, when they got company by two other men, the conversations split into two. The two men who joined a bit later were not involved and did not participate in the dialogue of rest of the group. Recognizing what happened here is comparable to what Hollingsworth empirically identified according to Thufvesson (2006). Maybe twelve seats are too many. On the other hand, other factors may indeed have affected as well.

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One of the interviewee’s reflected upon the option of long tables. Especially, the interviewee says, when the restaurant is crowded you might need to share a table with people you do not really know very well or what they work with. This will in turn introduce you to a conversation and interaction over boundaries that may provide you with information and new insights. Even though not all in the same group may participate in the same conversation, long tables at a work place restaurant like Restaurant Inspira may evidently increase opportunities for interaction across boundaries and between ideas and information. Maybe this is why Medicon Village themselves at their Restaurant Inspira webpage expresses that ideas and thoughts may flow freely between the tables (Medicon Village, Restaurant Inspira, 2018).

My overall impression of the facilities within the restaurant hall is stated as follows:

The tables (one set) held four chairs. Along the windows at the main part of the restaurant there were sets of three tables therefore holding twelve chairs in each row. The chairs and tables seemed fairly moveable, since they were not secured to the floor. Furthermore I noticed that it looked like a group of people had wanted to make a row of table even longer, holding more than twelve seats. This concerned the rectangular, straight tables. The round tables in contrast held five chairs at maximum. Clearly, the restaurant facilitates different types of gatherings and meetings, and as noted during my first observation there are also baby chairs available.

Despite various options for seating, one of my respondents stated the setting as rather poorly adapted as an environment for learning in particular, not being relaxed enough and with too many people. To the question if it is a place to meet people the answer is yes. Consequently, the current milieu correlates with the overall and main proposition of having a lunch break, rather than the purpose of getting involved in scientifically difficult conversations that requires more time and calm surroundings.

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7. Conclusions

Based on a theoretical and conceptual framework the purpose of this thesis was to examine if Restaurant Inspira is a localized advantage for Medicon Village. In order to reach an analysis as well as conclusions research questions was formulated and will now be presented with their answers one by one.

1. Are there applicable theories that speak for this specific local micro geography within clusters?

Notions from three theories have appeared significant and applicable in order to explore a local micro geography, Porter’s cluster theory along with non-spatial and spatial dimensions of proximity as well as the concept local buzz. A relational economic geography perspective appeared helpful in order to approach an actor-oriented process that local buzz is. Furthermore, a relational economic geography perspective highlights economic action as a social process, which have appeared a highly essential aspect when examining if Restaurant Inspira facilitate a localized advantage like local buzz. Local buzz is as we know dependent on that people communicate and connect through social processes. Taken together, this theoretical framework has shown by this study to be applicable also to a real case scenario like Restaurant Inspira.

2. Is it possible to apply these theories to a real case scenario like Restaurant Inspira?

Empirical findings of my study indicate that local buzz, in accordance to the global pipeline and local buzz-model of Bathelt, Malmberg and Maskell, take place during opening hours at Restaurant Inspira. The concept of local buzz has shown to exist in real life and has therefore appeared to this case study.

Furthermore, section 6.3 and 6.4 shows competition, distrust and trust as circumstances that affect the outcome of involvement in local buzz at Restaurant Inspira and to affect the extent of member’s participation. Lunch breaks has been found to be of significance. Result of this study are consistence with those previously reported and it seems like rather relaxed and informal meetings and interactions are automatically introduced by workers at their lunch breaks in particular. The reason why breaks in this particular context are emphasized is because it is considered as an access to information and ideas. Local buzz is, as we know, recognized as a source of information, which here is brought by people having a lunch break. Informal interaction is in other words highly present, proving that the model of local buzz is working also on the spot. Moreover, Restaurant Inspira facilitates a setting in which both planned and spontaneous communication take place. I found that there is a mix between the two, which confirms the basics of concept of local buzz.

Section 6.5 presents analysis on that similar technical language is assumed to help agents to make use of the local buzz, thus access resources. Unlike previous findings, this study suggests, however, a less worth of relational ties in matter of buzz in the context of Medicon Village. Niches and specializations residing here are in fact at the expense of a particular

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relational proximity within the entire membership group. Local buzz, on the other hand, still take place at Restaurant Inspira and is of value for the entire cluster.

3. Does it seems like the restaurant is aware of their significance for the entire cluster – do they comply with their name Inspira?

Similar to the case of effects of knowledge spillover, the effects of local buzz are difficult to measure and to visually apprehend. Therefore, the concept is often forgotten, not fully incorporated and left to sociological and psychological disciplines, despite its substantial – and maybe decisive – significance as competitive advantage of clusters. Not only being a source of information but also a source for social linkages proves local buzz to be a local and exclusive competitive advantage based on what Bathelt claims about social relations as competitive advantage residing in cluster environments. We then understand that competition becomes dependent on local buzz.

Section 6.1, 6.2 and 6.6 proves the significant role of the restaurant, as a practical advantage, access to quality food and as a meeting point. Restaurant Inspira brings added and localized value to the Medicon Village cluster. It is heard from my interviews regarding the role and value of the restaurant for the rest of the cluster that “it would certainly not be the same and as attractive without the restaurant”. Findings indicate that the main goal for the restaurant itself, quite obviously, is to deliver quality food to its guests. It does also seem to be the main purpose expressed by Medicon Village themselves.

In matter of facilitating local buzz, Restaurant Inspira is a localized competitive advantage for Medicon Village. However, Restaurant Inspira does not seem fully aware of their significant role for the entire cluster and would instead need to take advantage of the potential being a localized advantage. Physical prerequisites to facilitate local buzz exists, its central cluster location as well as being surrounded by some 120 companies and external actors in close distances. Already they have the quality and requested food and are furthermore assigned as “the heart” of the cluster by members of Medicon Village. Now the restaurant needs to also realize, prioritize and interpret themselves as an engine for the entire cluster or “the brain” in the knowledge accumulation. Medicon Village and Restaurant Inspira would in other words need to be aware of the source of local and unique knowledge creations. In order to visibly establish and fulfill its competitive and unique advantage, the external communication needs therefore improvements as well.

My final conclusion summarizes in that the particular localized advantage - local buzz - needs to be taken into account by Restaurant Inspira. The potential is discovered, but rather than focusing on a main goal and purpose of serving quality food alone, Restaurant Inspira simply needs to also realize its’ very important role instituting much more than a general restaurant. That is, mainly by two basics, by recognizing the important role of intra-cluster interaction as a competitive advantage and by approaching it in communication, with phrases like “the restaurant as an engine of ideas”. Ideas built in buzz during lunch breaks are simply of crucial importance.

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Finally, Restaurant Inspira has been a real inspiration for me as a scholar to deep further into the economic geography field. Therefore, they may comply with their name in some sense.

The answers to the research questions along with the purpose are summarized beneath.

1. Yes, there are theories and perspectives that are applicable and speak for a local micro scaled geography like this. This study applies a relational economic geography perspective in order to emphasize the most relevant ideas from cluster theory, proximity and indeed local buzz.

2. Yes, it is possible to apply and recognize the chosen theories in real life at Restaurant Inspira. A mixture of spontaneous and planned communication consisting of gossip appears here, despite various niches of the life science field. Local buzz at an intra-cluster level take place here.

3. Yes, Restaurant Inspira is a localized advantage for Medicon Village in matter of facilitating local buzz. However, it does not seem like the restaurant is fully aware of its potential being a source of idea exchange and knowledge creations, and thus, not fully aware of its significant role.

Since an unexamined setting now has been studied in the broad field of human geography, this paper also contribute with the idea of future enquiries compiled for geo scholars, from Geocentrum in Lund, for instance joined by the Institution of Sociology and the Institution for Strategic Communication. It would be interesting to deepen the study and analysis into the paradigm of institutions and cultural aspects, in order to explore how local buzz on this spot is affected by the multicultural base Medicon Village stand on.

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8. List of references

Aoyama, Y., Murphy, J. T., & Hanson, S. (2010). Key concepts in economic geography. London: SAGE

Bathelt, H., Malmberg, A., & Maskell, P. (2004). Clusters and knowledge: local buzz, global pipelines and the process of knowledge creation In Progress in human geography, 28(1), 31-56

Bathelt, H., Maskell, P., & Malmberg, A. (2004). Temporary clusters and knowledge creation: the effects of international trade fairs, conventions and other professional gatherings.

Bathelt, H. (2006). Geographies of production: growth regimes in spatial perspective 3 - toward a relational view of economic action and policy. Progress in Human Geography, 30(2), 223–236.

Bathelt, H., Glückler, J. (2011) “Relational Action in a Spatial Perspective” In The Relational Economy: Geographies of Knowing and Learning (Oxford; pubd online Apr. 2015).

Bathelt, H., Glückler, J. (2011) “Local Buzz and Global Pipelines” In The Relational Economy: Geographies of Knowing and Learning (Oxford; pubd online Apr. 2015)

Bryman, A. (2016). Social research methods. Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2016.

Cloke, P. J. (2004). Practising Human Geography. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.

Denscombe, M. (2009). Forskningshandboken : för småskaliga forskningsprojekt inom samhällsvetenskaperna. Lund: Studentlitteratur, 2009 (Polen)

DeWalt, M. K. & DeWalt, B. R. (2010). Participant observation - a guide for fieldworkers. Altamira Press. U.S, 2010.

Edgren, J., & Skärvad, P. H. (2010). Nätverksorganisationer. Malmö: Liber

Fangen, K., & Nordli, H. (2005). Deltagande observation. Malmö : Liber ekonomi

Giuliani, E. (2007). The selective nature of knowledge networks in clusters: evidence from the wine industry. Journal of Economic Geography, (2), 139

Graham, E. (2005). ”Philosphies underlying human geography research” In Flowerdew, R., Martin, D. (ed.), Methods in human geography. 2nd ed. Harlow: Pearson Education, pp. 8-34.

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Lundberg, H. (2008). Geographical proximity effects and regional strategic networks. Uppsala: Företagsekonomiska institutionen, Uppsala universitet

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Maskell, P. (2001). Innovation and learning for competitiveness and regional growth - a policy challenge. Stockholm: Nordregion

Medicon Village. (2018) Restaurant Inspira. Retrieved December 8, 2018, from https://www.mediconvillage.se/en/restaurant-cafe-inspira

Medicon Village. (2018). Live here. Retrieved December 8, 2018, from https://www.mediconvillage.se/en/live-here

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Appendix A - Interview guide (Language: Swedish)

The site (Experiences)

Hur ofta besöker du platsen?Påverkas valet av samtalsämnen? Har maten en betydande, grundläggande innebörd till besöket? Är det någonstans i lokalen som frambringar spontant samtal, nyhetsuppdateringar eller rykten etc., t.ex., i kön?

People (The guests)

Besöker (ofta) du restaurangen med ett förutbestämt syfte (avsiktligt)? Återkommer samma gäster, eller är det cirkulation? (Några stamgäster?) Upplever du att det finns ett band inom Medicon Village som kan göra det enklare att samtala med nästan vem som helst bortom ditt eget företags gränser? Tror du vissa företag drar mer nytta av restaurangen som mötesplats än andra inom Medicon Village?

Interaction (What type)

Beroende på vem man delar sin vistelse med, vilken typ av konversation känns möjlig? Är det väl känt inom Medicon Village att man stöter på ny kunskap och användbara nyheter under sin vistelse? Upplever du att du någon gång har tagit del av kunskap som du senare har kunnat applicera i ditt eget arbete?

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Appendix B – Content analysis guide

Category Operationalized by words

Interaction Word use: “informal”, “formal”, and “spontaneous”

Co-location/co-presence Word use: “Meeting” or “meet”Do they interpret proximity in any way?

Personal contact and relation Does Medicon Village write about possibilities for establishing relations and if so, in what way?