Analysis of the Glissicon-Valley in the Southwest of France - the enforcement of a European competitiveness and the development of a Global excellence in Boardsports

Résumé du document

In our ?Innovation Systems and Regional Clusters' course, we had the opportunity to discover and study the field of innovation, and its patterns on international, national, regional and local levels. In this paper we will concentrate our attention on an interesting phenomenon taking place in the South-West of France, where a concentration of companies in the board-sport industry can be clearly identified. This regional concentration can be called a Regional Innovation System since it encompasses not merely companies, but also education entities, public institutions, laboratories, professional associations and so on. In this paper, we will analyze the so-called "Glissicon-Valley" with the help of professionals involved in this RIS (The French expression "sports de glisse" means boardsports), which includes 4 clusters: (1) surfboards (ocean and mountain), (2) wetsuits and technical apparel, (2) clothes and (4) accessories. In the first part of the discussion, we will introduce the theoretical background, essential for the achievement of our study, in order to justify the literature chosen. In the second part, we will focus on the Glissicon-Valley and examine this RIS, its related actors, and strive to formulate relevant discussions. To conclude, we will summarize our study on the subject.

Extraits

[...] Glissicon Valley: Name of the Boardsports RIS in the Southwest of France; directly referring to the famous Silicon Valley in California. Sports de Glisse: French expression for Boardsports. Duke Kahanamoku: Generally regarded as the person who popularized the modern sport of surfing. He was also an Olympic champion in swimming. Shapers: small surfboards manufacturers, regarded as craftsmen. Contrary to industrial manufactures of surfboards, they are working on a small scale, producing high-quality and tailored products. Surfshops: Specialized outlets selling surfboards, snowboards, wetsuits, technical apparel, clothes and accessories. [...]

[...] For instance, internships in the business park for students, and ongoing training for employees, at all levels in the company. Competitive advantage of the Glissicon-Valley Using the Porter's diamond of regional advantage is of particular relevance, since dynamism and innovation within this RIS lie in four attributes[15]: - The factor conditions. Firstly, the region has a unique location, with the Atlantic Ocean on the West coast, enhancing surfing practice, and with the Pyrenees Mountains in the South, for Snowboarding and Skiing practice. [...]

[...] Cooke, P (2006) Global Bioregional Networks: A New Economic Geography of Bioscientific Knowledge. EuropeanPlanningStudiesVol No October2006 Cooper, S.Y. and Park, J.S. (2008) The Impact of `Incubator' Organizations on Opportunity Recognition and Technology Innovation in New, Entrepreneurial High-technology Ventures. International Small Business Journal; 26; 27 Doloreux, D. (2002). What we should know about regional systems of innovation. Technology in Society, 243-263 Etzkowitz, H. and Loet Leydesdorff (2000), The dynamics of innovation: from National Systems and Mode 2'' to a Triple Helix of university industry government relations. [...]

[...] This endeavor has been a major Innovation, actors within the RIS using endogenous and exogenous knowledge, resulting in the manufacturing of snowboards, and the creation of a new market. In the same way, the boardsports market was at first narrow, almost a niche, limited to an elite of surfers. Boardsports companies soon realized the potential of other segments of customers. As a consequence, new markets have been developed, such as the feminine segments, with a dedicated range of products: surfboards, wetsuits, technical apparels and so on. [...]

[...] This process, where knowledge is collectively produced and combined, has to be reached, becoming a “collective asset”[4]. This unique set and flow of knowledge is the underpinning of a unique source of competitive advantage. Another important aspect of the RIS is represented by the spillovers[5]. The spillovers are the transfers of knowledge between firms. They can be incorporations of knowledge into existing operations, or within new ventures[6]. Moreover, the tacit nature of new knowledge makes the regional system a more efficient system for its diffusion, the flow being localized. [...]