European Development of Excellent Cluster Organizations

- Challenges and Ways to Move Forward -

Dr. Gerd Meier zu Köcker

Director

iit – Institute for Innovation and Technology

Middelfart, 27 August 2015

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Why?

How?

Indicators

Role of Policy

Why Cluster Management Excellence Matters?

How to Gain Excellce?

The European Approach

Role of Cluster Policy

3 Source: Lämmer-Gamp, Meier zu Köcker, Christensen, Clusters are Individuals, 2011

Quality and Intensity of Business Services Provided by the Cluster Managements Make the Difference

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Higher Intensity of Cooperation within Clusters

Leads to Higher Monetary Added-values

Monetary added values compared to investments of all cluster actors

Cluster Monitor Germany, July 2012, 50 Cluster representing about 5000 company

low similar high

low similar high

Monetary added values compared to investments of cluster actors, which are actively involved in cooperation

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Examples for Innovation in the Field of

Emerging Industries

16 Sources: gerber and Limmatdruck Zeiler

Food

Sensors Packaging

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Coatings Sensors Actors

Printing ICT Design

Examples for an Emerging Industries

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Cluster Organisations Matter

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Why?

How?

European Approach

Role of Cluster Policy

How to Develop an Excellence Cluster Organisation ?

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Free Riders

Reactive Actors

Active Actors

Key Drivers

• Selfish

• Non-cooperative

• Sleeping giants

• Can be transform from non-cooperative to cooperative actors

• Hidden Champions

• Cooperative actors

• Pearls within cluster

• Self-motivated

Selfishness and Trust within Cluster Organisations

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Services Provided Have to be inline with

Maturity of Cluster Initiative

www.iit-berlin.de

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The Ideal Service Portfolio of Excellence

Cluster Managers

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From Internationalisation Towards International

Strategic Partnerships

Sustainable

strategic

partnerships

Looking for

external partners

Among cluster

actors

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The European Approach of Cluster Management Excellence

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Interested in Cluster Management Excellence

On the Way Towards Cluster Management Excellence

Committed to Cluster Management Excellence

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© VDI/VDE-IT 31.08.2015

Bronze and Gold Labelling

- Similarities and Differences -

Cluster-Benchmarking Labelling Cluster

Management Excellence

- Self-Assessment - Third party expert assessement

- No documented evidence required - Documented evidence required

- Intended as a tool for continuous - Intended to confirm excellence

improvements

- Comparing characteristics with peers - Absolute quality criteria regarded

- Motivates to do better - No political influence possible

- Facilitates to get the Gold Label

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European Secretariat for Cluster Analysis

www.cluster-analysis.org

© VDI/VDE-IT 31.08.2015

The “one-stop-shop” for benchmarking and labelling of cluster organisations:

• Independent department within VDI/VDE-IT

• Coordinating body for all cluster labelling activities under ECEI scheme within Europe

• Entrusted by ECEI-consortium and EC

• ESCA involves international pool of benchmarking and labelling experts

• Decisions for Silver- and Gold-Label done by international expert group (no decision making by ESCA)

• Close cooperation with cluster policy makers within Europe to assure international recognition

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Interested in Cluster Management Excellence

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Cluster Management Excellence Label BRONZE

Benchmarking provides a documented entry level into improvement processes for cluster management

Benchmarking uses indicators similar to Excellence / Gold Label

BRONZE Label awarded to cluster organisations having taken part in a benchmarking exercise according to the „NGPExcellence-approach“

Validity of the BRONZE label: two years from month of benchmarking interview

Benchmarking exercise performed by the European Secretariat for Cluster Analysis (ESCA) relying on an international pool of specificly trained „Cluster Benchmarking Experts“

Procedure internationally accepted, so far >800 cluster organisations from 18 countries participated

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Cluster A

Research Driven vs. Industrial Driven Clusters

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Growth Rate vs. Regional Membership Potential

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Traffic Light System for Cluster Management

Excellence (I)

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Traffic Light System for Cluster Management

Excellence (II)

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Principles of Benchmarking of Cluster Organisations

A positive and inspiring atmosphere of trust (between a benchmarking

expert/interviewer and the cluster manager),

including:

– Cluster manager wants to identify areas for improvement

– Cluster manager has to provide honest information

– Confidentiality of data, meaning that information is not used „against the cluster

manager“

Qualified estimates of the cluster manager are sufficient

Data assessment as exact as possible, in an effective manner

ESCA tries to anticipate and avoid any (potential) conflict of interest!

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On the Way Towards Cluster Management Excellence

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:

Cluster Management Excellence Label SILVER

Dedicated to Cluster Excellence

Around 1.5-2 years after the first Benchmarking (and BRONZE Label) a cluster

organisation repeats the usual benchmarking process and renews the BRONZE

Label

→ (standard procedure/skype/phone interviews as well possible)

Will improvements be identified? If yes: Cluster organisation can apply for the

SILVER Label by providing a written description of at least three areas where

improvements could be achieved during the last two years and could be

demonstrated and evidenced.

SILVER Label is awarded, if evidence can be demonstrated by the cluster

organisation regarding the processes and results of these improvements of the last

two years within a one-day validation meeting of a “ESCA senior expert” at the

premises of the cluster organisation

SILVER Label is valid for two years

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Cluster Management Excellence Label GOLD

28 © VDI/VDE-IT 31.08.2015

GOLD Label Process

see www.cluster-analysis.org – GOLD Label

Step 1: Check whether the minimum requirements are met – then request for

formal offer and formal order

Step 2: Online-based self check of the quality indicators

Step 3: Decision is taken whether to go for the full assessment

Step 4: Full assessment: two-day on-site assessment conducted by two

independent cluster analysis experts

Step 5: Report on the assessment – then final decision by CEEG regarding

the award of the label

Step 6: Award "Cluster Management Excellence Label GOLD"

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31 Quality indicators currently published under www.cluster-excellence.eu

– „Baseline document“, describing all minimal criteria and listing of all indicators

– „Public document“, describing all indicators

– Supporting preparation: Web-based self-assessment tool for all 31 Quality Indicators

External assessment procedure with two experts, 2 days on-site:

– Local expert: Specificly trained by ESCA: knowledge of the Quality Indicators and

local language

– Lead expert: Specificly trained by ESCA, proven experience in benchmarking and

assessment methodologies, detailed knowledge of the quality Indicators and the

further EFQM-related procedures

Assessment against quality thresholds defined by ECEI: GREEN, YELLOW, RED

> 80 % need to be reached for GOLD

Decision on award of the GOLD label by an „International Cluster Excellence Expert

Group (CEEG)“ (a high-level group consisting of cluster managers holding a valid GOLD

label)

Cluster Management Excellence Label

GOLD

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Structure of the cluster

Governance

Financing of the cluster

management organization

Strategy and services

Achievements and recognition

31 indicators in five areas

Cluster Management Excellence Label GOLD

31 31.08.2015

ECEI

Indicators

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GOLD Labels (as of April 2014)

5

6

7

16

3

3

1

1

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Role of Cluster Policy

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Determinants of Regional Cluster Policy

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Towards Cluster Management Excellence in Denmark

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Activities and Services of Cluster Managements

2014 / 2015 2011/2012

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European Set of Quality Indicators (I)

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European Set of Quality Indicators (II)