Labelling cluster organisations – what is this all about? Gerd Meier zu Köcker, Thomas Lämmer-Gamp,

ESCA – European Secretariat for Cluster Analysis Stockholm, November 13th, 2013,

Framework conditions

(e.g. infrastructure, regulation, work force, level of

education, image, macro economy)

Cluster participants

(business, research, public agencies)

Cluster management organization

Utilizing clusters as tool for economic or industrial development

means developing industrial networks and value chains by

means of cluster management!

Why Cluster Management Organisations ?

• Professional and excellent cluster organisations can make to difference

• Funding of cluster management organisations is the prevailing support scheme in Europe

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

• Monetary added-value for SMEs in clusters

All actors

Higher Intensity of Involvement Leads to

Higher Monetary Added-values

Actors that cooperate more intensive than others

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

low similar high

low similar high

• Case study: Monetary added-value for SMEs in an Automotive cluster

EUR / p. a.

Very active Quite active inactive

Higher Intensity of Involvement Leads to Higher Monetary Added-values

Priority Setting for Business Services

Relevance of expectations

low moderate high

Very high High Moderate Low Very low

Level of

satisfa

ction

Developing and Implementing Cluster Strategies is a Good Base for Sustainability

Labelling and Benchmarking as Voluntary

Tool for Continuous Improvements

of Cluster Managements

Everything Started with Benchmarking in 2009

– Benchmarking is a voluntary approach for comparing and peer-assessment

– Benchmarking stimulates mutual learning and striving for excellence

– Benchmarking reveals where a given cluster stands compared to other peers

– Benchmarking does not provide any ranking or good / bad

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

– Benchmarking is very practical like and provides practial advice how to do bettered

Interested in improvement: Benchmarking

Demonstrating improvement: 2nd Benchmarking

Confirmation of excellence: Quality audit

Who is ESCA

• 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

Interested in improvement: Benchmarking

The Benchmarking Process

© VDI/VDE-IT 25.04.2014

Step 1: Benchmarking Interview

Step 2: Benchmarking Report

Step 0: Planning and Initialisation

Analysed until today: 489 cluster organisations from 34 countries

2-3h interview with cluster manager, 40 questions on structure, staffing, services, strategy and results

Cluster A

Research Driven vs. Industrial Driven Clusters

Growth Rate vs. Regional Membership Potential

Service Spectrum to Initiate Collaborative Technology Development among Cluster Actors

Effects of the cluster

management organization

on the cluster: innovation

activities

Services of the

cluster management

organization

How Services Affect Innovation Activities – Promote Collaboration within the Cluster

Conformity with European

Excellence Critria

Confirmation of Excellence: Quality audit

Benchmarking (Bronze) and Excellence Labelling (Gold) Similarities and Differences

© VDI/VDE-IT 25.04.2014

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 with peers - Absolute quality criteria regarded

- Majority of indicators dealing with - All indicators related to excellence

excellence, but not all

-

The Process

Structure of the cluster

Governance

Financing of the cluster

management organization

Strategy and services

Achievements and recognition

31 indicators in five areas

Indicators of the ECEI Cluster Management Excellence Label Assessment Weighting ScoreStructure of the Cluster

1.1.0 mininum requirement Committed Cluster Participation 1,5 1

1.1.1 mininum requirement Composition of the Cluster Participants 1,5 1

1.1.2 mininum requirement Number of Committed Cluster Participants in Total 0,5 1

1.2 Geographical Concentration of the Cluster Participants 0,5 1

Typology, Governance, Cooperation

2.1 mininum requirement Maturity of the Cluster Management 0,5 1

2.2.1 Human Resources Available for the Cluster Management 1 1

2.2.2 mininum requirement Qualification of the Cluster Management Team 1 1

2.2.3 Life Long Learning Aspects for the Cluster Management Team 0,5 1

2.2.4 Stability and Continuity of Human Resources of the Cluster Management Team 1 1

2.3 Stability of Cluster Participation 1 1

2.4 mininum requirement Clarity of Roles – Involvement of Stakeholders in the Decision Making Processes 1 1

2.5 mininum requirement Direct Personal Contacts Between the Cluster Management Team and the Cluster Participants 1 1

2.6 mininum requirement Degree of Cooperation within the Cluster 1,5 1

2.7 mininum requirement Integration of the Cluster Organisation in the Innovation System 0,5 1

Financing Cluster Management

3.1 Prospects of the Financial Resources of the Cluster Organisation 1,5 1

3.2 Share of Financial Resources from Private Sources 1 1

Strategy, Objectives, Services

4.1.1 mininum requirement Strategy Building Process 1,5 1

4.1.2 mininum requirement Documentation of the Cluster Strategy 1 1

4.1.3 mininum requirement Implementation Plan 1,5 1

4.1.4 mininum requirement Financial Controlling System 1 1

4.1.5 mininum requirement Review of the Cluster Strategy and Implementation Plan 0,5 1

4.1.6 mininum requirement Performance Monitoring of Cluster Management 1 1

4.2 Focus of the Cluster Strategy 1

4.3 mininum requirement Activities and Services of the Cluster Management 1,5 1

4.4 mininum requirement Performance of the Cluster Management 1,5 1

4.5 Working Groups 0,5 1

4.6.1 Communication of the Cluster Organisation 1 1

4.6.2 mininum requirement Cluster Organisation’s Web Presence 0,5 1

Achievements and Recognition

5.1 Recognition of the Cluster in Publications, Press, Media 0,5 1

5.2 Success Stories 0,5 1

5.3 Customer and Cluster Participants’ Satisfaction Assessment 1 1

Future Position X

Kunststoffinstitut Lüdenscheid

microTEC Südwest

VDC Fellbach

Chemie Cluster Bayern

Photonics BW

Offshoreenergy.dk

Innovationnetwork Lifestyle – Interior & Clothing

NODE - Norwegian Offshore & Drilling Engineering

Minalogic

Systematic - Paris Region Systems & ICT Cluster

Eco World Styria

Kunststoff Cluster

Silicon Saxony

FEMAC - Agricultural Machinery Cluster

Software Cluster

Pôle de compétitivité SCS

Biopeople

Pôle de compétitivité Plasturgie

CEAGA

NCE Raufoss

NCE Subsea

German Cluster Management Excellence Landscape

46%

23%

23%

8%

58%

8%

23%

22%

33%

15%

11%

11%

56%

25%

11%

38%

46%

56%

62%

46%

46%

8%

23%

23%

17%

31%

33%

33%

23%

31%

22%

56%

44%

8%

22%

46%

54%

11%

38%

8%

31%

92%

54%

69%

25%

92%

100%

46%

67%

78%

33%

77%

69%

85%

89%

67%

44%

67%

67%

15%

33%

0 0,1 0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8 0,9 1

STRUCTURE OF THE CLUSTER

Committed cluster participation

Composition of the cluster participants

Number of committed cluster participants in total

Geographical concentration of the cluster participants

TYPOLOGY, GOVERNANCE, COOPERATION

Maturity of the cluster management

Human resources available for cluster management

Lifelong learning aspects for the cluster management team

Stability and continuity of human resources of the cluster…

Stability of cluster participation

Clarity of roles – involvement of stakeholders in decision …

Direct personal contacts between the cluster…

Degree of cooperation within the cluster participants

Integration of the cluster organisation in the innovation…

FINANCING

Share of financial resources from private sources

STRATEGY, OBJECTIVES, SERVICES

Documentation of the cluster strategy

Review of the cluster strategy and implementation plan

Degree of fulfilment of the implementation plan

Financial controlling system

Activities and services of the cluster management

Working groups

Cluster organisation’s web presence

ACHIEVEMENTS, RECOGNITION

Recognition of the cluster in publications, press, media

Success stories

Cluster participants’ satisfaction surveys

Another Cluster Management Excellence Landscape

Demonstrating improvement: 2nd Benchmarking

- Filling the gap between the existing labels BRONZE and GOLD

- Confirms improvements and conformity with some major Excellence Criteria

- Fulfilling wishes of policy makers and cluster managers in several

countries

Cluster Management Excellence Label SILVER Dedicated to Cluster Excellence

• Rationale of the label: – In line with the achievements of the European Cluster Excellence Initiative (ECEI)

– Confirming a continuous and successful process of improving cluster management

– Combination of benchmarking (Bronze) and third party assessment (Gold)

– Final approval made by representatives of the „Cluster Excellence Expert Group“, an international working group consisting of excellent cluster managers (Goldies)

• Eligibility for the label / process:

– Cluster conducts re-benchmarking exercise

– Application for a SILVER label is only possible upon recommendation by ESCA

– ESCA gives such a recommendation, if significant improvements in cluster management over the past years could be observed, based on benchmarking data received

© VDI/VDE-IT 25.04.2014

If you want to learn more…

VDI/VDE Innovation und Technik GmbH

Gerd Meier zu Köcker

European Secretariat for Cluster Analysis (ESCA)

Steinplatz 1

D-10623 Berlin

Tel.: +49 30 310078 118

Fax: +49 30 310078 222

E-mail: mzk@vdivde-it.de

www.cluster-analysis.org

www.vdivde-it.de