Immaterial resources and regional development : A territorial approach (160)

Theme Track: Regional Competitiveness - Innovative Milieu and Cluster

Authors:
Crevoisier, Olivier ; Kebir, Leïla

In the present context of the emergence of the knowledge economy, the role of immaterial resources in regional development, in particular as a factor of attractivity and competitiveness, is widely acknowledged (Colletis and Pecqueur, 1994; Lundvall, 1992; Porter, 1990; Pyke and Sengenberger, 1992; Veltz, 1996). However anyone who tries to consider both resource management and regional development gets confronted to a variety of content, to elements of different nature and origin, moreover to circular definitions.



The objective of this paper is to enter the black box of regional resources, more specifically of immaterial resources, and understand its territorial dimension. It proposes a conceptual framework allowing us to distinguish the various aspects of this immaterial 'magma' and to seize its dynamic through time and space. Further more cases of immaterial resources (watch industry and banking know-how) are presented and analysed in the light of the conceptual framework proposed.



The analytical framework is based on the idea that resources do not constitute a stock but rather a process. A process through which the objects (immaterial and material) of our surrounding environment are at a certain moment and in certain locus identified as being potentially useful for the production system. The main questions here are the following: what are immaterial resources? What are their characteristics? How do they evolve/move through time and space? How are they created? Destroyed? How are they identified? Managed? By whom? Where? How is learning (in it's different aspects) organised in time and space?



After having gathered different theoretical contributions on the topic, the cases of immaterial resources (watch industry and banking know-how) are presented and analysed in the light of the conceptual framework developed. These cases help us illustrate and confront the approach proposed.



REFERENCES

Colletis, G. and Pecqueur, B. (1994) "Les facteurs de la concurrence spatiale et la construction des territoires", in Garofoli, G. et Vazquez Barquero, A. (eds.), Organisation of production and territory: local models of development, Gianni Iuculano Editore, Pavia.



Crevoisier, O. and Maillat, D. (1989) "Milieu, organisation et système de production territorial: vers une nouvelle théorie du développement spatial", Dossier de l'IRER 24, , Neuchâtel.



Lundvall, B. A. (1992) National systems of innovation, Pinter Publisher, London.



Nemeti, F. and Pfister, M. (1994) Aspects de la compétitivité de l'industrie microtechnique suisse, EDES, IRER, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel.



Porter, M. (1990) The competitive advantage of nations, The Mc Millan Press Ltd, Londres.



Pyke, F. and Sengenberger, W. (eds.) (1992) Industrial Districts and Local Economic Regeneration, International Institute for Labour Studies, Geneva.



Veltz, P. (1996) Mondialisation villes et territoires : l'économie d'archipel, Presses Universitaires de France, Paris.

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