Le Rôle des Grappes dans la Stratégie de Spécialisation Intelligente / The Role of Clusters in Smart Specialization Strategy Ms. Sana MRIZAK, Télécom École de management, Évry, France Séminaire sur la Stratégie de Spécialisation Intelligente / S3 organisé par l'ANPR avec le support de l'UE les 17 et 18 mai 2016 à Hammamet.

1. The role of clusters in Smart
Specialization Strategy
Dr. Sana ELOUAER-MRIZAK
Télécom Ecole de Management, Paris
TAIEX Workshop on Smart Specialization
Hammamet, 17-18 May 2016

2. National Industry Strategy for
the years Leading up to 2016
Clustering
Mechanical/electrical
industries
Textile/Clothing
Agrofood
ICT
Industrial
Growth
Focus on
export
FDI Activity in the
inland regions

3. National Industry Strategy for
the years Leading up to 2016
Clustering
Mechanical/electrical
industries
Textile/Clothing
Agrofood
ICT
Industrial
Growth
Focus on
export
FDI Activity in the
inland regions

4. Competitiveness Cluster in Tunisia
(Source: Republic of Tunisia, Ministry of Industry, Energy and Small/Medium Businesses; 2014)

5. Scope
5/15
What is Smart Specialization Strategy
(S3)?
What is the role of clusters in S3?
What about our Clusters?

6. 6/15
What is Smart Specialization Strategy
(S3)?
What is the role of clusters in S3?
What about our Clusters?

7. Context
• Why some regions are more innovative than others?
• Why are some regions more competitive than others?
Why some regions develop faster than others?
• Regions haven’t the same characteristics (local
capabilities, public research infrastructure, intensity
of regional R&D…)
• Therefore European Cohesion Policy and European
Innovation Policy (2014-2020) aims to reduce these
gaps.
• How?
The Smart Specialization Strategy (S3)

8. Smart Specialisation Strategy
An economic transformation agenda based on 4Cs:
1. (Tough) Choices: limited number of priorities on the basis of own strengths
and international specialisation – avoid duplication and fragmentation in
European R&D Area
2. Competitive Advantage: mobilize talent by matching capacities and
business needs through an entrepreneurial discovery process
3. (Critical Mass) Clusters and Connectivity: develop world class clusters and
provide arenas for related variety/cross-sectorial links internally in the
region and externally, which drive specialised technological diversification
4. Collaborative Leadership: efficient innovation systems as a collective
attempt based on public-private partnership (quadruple helix)

9. 9/15
What is Smart Specialization Strategy
(S3)?
What is the role of clusters in S3
What about our Clusters?

10. Cluster Concept
• A Cluster can be defined as:
▫ Geographic concentrations of interconnected companies and
institutions in a particular field. Clusters encompass an array of
linked industries and other entities important to competition.
(Porter, 1998)
▫ An agglomeration of related actors generating knowledge
exchange which is a vital element for innovation network
building. (McCann and Folta, 2009)
• The aim of Clusters initiatives is to:
▫ promote and maximize the dynamics of collaborative work
between its members in order to increase the interaction and
the competitiveness of the whole group.
▫ Maximize the relationships in the frame of Triple/quadruple
Helix.

11. Key Questions
• What is the relation between the two concepts:
cluster policy and S3?
• What key challenges of S3 can clusters help to
adress?

12. Clusters policy’s Goals
• Support and Develop sectors with high
innovation potential
• Reach a critical Mass
• Attain a level of Excellence that will generate a
new growth dynamic

13. Comparaison between Clusters and S3:
Similarities (Ketels, 2013)
• Drivers of performance
• The role of regions
• The role of policy

14. Comparaison between Clusters and S3
(European Commission, 2013)
Similarities Differences
Policy approaches with a place-
based dimension aiming at
exploiting advantages of
proximity to promote
economic growth and
competitiveness (European
Commission, 2013)
↔
A focus on productivity and
innovation as key drivers of
competitiveness
And
An accent on fostering regional
embeddedness with a view to
capitalise on the advantage of
proximity.
• Clusters are potential elements of a
regional innovation eco-system while
S3 are policies aiming at transforming
the ecosystem.
• S3 focusses on specific innovation-
intensive sectors. However, Clusters
apply to a broader set of sectors in the
economy.
• The goal of S3 is the transformation of
regional economies arround new
knowledge based activity domains
whereas the goal of cluster policies is
to enhance the performance of
existing clusters.
Clusters can come close to Smart Specialisation domains if they simulate new
types of knowledge spill overs with high leverage effect on the growth path of
the economy

15. S3 Six Key Leverage Points
1. Prioritization:
How can regions select appropriate focus domains for policy action?
2. Integrated Policy:
How can individual policies be packaged to increase their combined impact?
3. Smart, evidence-based policy making
What data and indicators can be used to make robust policy choices?
4. Multi-level governance
How can the roles of different levels of government be integrated?
5. Cross-border collaboration
How can government policies be aligned with the economically relevant regions?
6. Stakeholder engagement
How can different stakeholders be motivated to engage?

16. The Potential of Cluster Policy in the
Leverage Points
1. Prioritization:
Clusters are a natural dimension for selection.
2. Integrated Policy:
Clusters are naturally suited to organize the design and delivery of
integrated policies.
3. Smart, evidence-based policy making
A range of cluster-specific data and analytical tools is available.
4. Multi-level governance
Clusters draw on multiple levels of policy.
5. Cross-border collaboration
Cluster boundaries are defined by their economic reach.
6. Stakeholder engagement
Clusters combine critical stakeholders in relevant groups.

17. Competitiveness Cluster in Tunisia
(Source: Republic of Tunisia, Ministry of Industry, Energy and Small/Medium Businesses; 2014)

18. Our aim is to show the role of clusters and
competitiveness pole in implementing Smart
Specialization Strategy since it includes basic
principles of S3.

19. The Pole of Competitiveness of Sousse
PCS
• Privately held companies
• Founded in March 2009
• Public-Private-
Partnership created for
developping the
economical and social
sectors dedicated to the
Mechanical Electronic
and Data Processing
Industry (IME sectors).

20. The PCS’s Strategic Objectives
Industrials
Structure
Supports
Higher
Education
Research
and
Innovation
Pôle de
Compétitivité
de Sousse

21. PCS’s goals
• Establishing links between training organizations,
research centers, universities and business;
• Promoting incubation enabling the creation of new
innovating companies through valorization
processes of research results;
• Improving competitiveness and promoting Tunisian
industrial development in the following three topics:
computing, mechanics and electronics;
• Attracting Foreign Direct Investment

22. PCS’s Components
▫ Industrial Park of Enfidha
▫ Technopole Mecatronic City
▫ Off-Shoring Park of Hammam Maarouf

23. Production &
développeme
nt
Ateliers
relais
Espace de
production
Innovation
& Valorisation
Pépinière
d'entreprises
SOFTTECH
Centre de
Ressources
Technologiques
CRT
Cluster Mecatronic
Tunisie CMT
Recherche
scientifiqu
eon
Formati
on
Centre de Recherche en
Microélectronique &
Nanotechnologie CRMN
Ecole Nationale d'ingénieurs de
Sousse ENISo
Espaces communs
Incubateur de l'ENISo
Technopole de Sousse

24. Cluster Mecatronic
Tunisia
JUNE 2011 Launching a reflection group initiated by the Competitiveness Cluster of Sousse to
develop a Mecatronic cluster
MARCH 2012 Creation of the Cluster Mecatronic Tunisia (Members 16 companies with AFD
partnership)
SEPTEMBER
2012
Launching of the first developpment Project INNERJ BOX
MARCH 2015 3 years and 40 members
CMT participate to:
• Members’ Business development. (4 Startups SME)
• Developping cooperation between Higher Education, Science and Industry (3 agreements
signed and effective)
• Creating value through sectoral industrial mix (5 products developed to be
commercialized)
• Developping the skills of different stakeholders in the territory.

25. ENOVA HPC GROUP SEA ELECTRONIC CYNAPSYS SOMA NIELSEN
PEC MICROTECHNIC CYLALYDE M2I HEFAISTOS LYNX TSI
New MEMBRES 2014-2015 :
16
25
29 31
34 35 36
52
juil.-12 janv.-13 juil.-13 janv.-14 juil.-14 janv.-15 juil.-15 janv.-16
#membres
Year
# Members Evolution
juil-12 janv-13 juil-13 janv-14 juil-14 janv-15 juil-15 Janv-16 TOTAL
membres 16 25 29 31 34 36 40 52
entrants +12 +5 +2 +5 +5 +6 +14 49
sortants -3 -1 0 -2 -3 -2 -2 -13
Cluster Evolution 2014-2015

26. PCS and S3?
A similar exercise was done by PCS
« Creation of CMT »: Methodology (1/2)
1. Collective Strategy Elaboration Process
2. Diagnosis
3. Strategic Logic
4. Plans of Actions

27. Scope
5/15
What is Smart Specialization Strategy
(S3)?
What is the role of clusters in S3?
What about our Clusters?

28. « Creation of CMT »: Methodology (2/2)
Objectif 1
Action
Action
Action
Objectif 2 Objectif 3
Action
Action
Action
Action
Action
Action
Action
Vision of the
Cluster
Regional
Development
Action
Plan
Strategy

29. Entrepreneurial Process of discovery
▫ Call for projects are launched and managed by the
management team of the Cluster
▫ Selection process:
Setting up the project by Cluster members and partners (Project not,
specification need, business plan)
Study by the Technical Advisory Board
Validation by the exécutive board
Validation by the board of directors.
Funding validation by the donor.
Convention of labelling and grant
Appointment of a rapporteur (member of the cluster).
Realization
Follow-up and monitoring by the facilitation team and the rapporteur
Closing and audit
▫ On the basis of the opinion of the board of directors,
relevant projects are labelled and funded.

30. Critical Mass and Priorities
• National Industrial Strategy
▫ Mainly developped through clustering policies
▫ BUT adressing main competitiveness challenges
Clusters Competitiveness Pole
Bottom-up Top-Down/Bottom up
SMEs oriented Triple helix approach (Business-
Universities and Research centers-
Government)
Objective: develop innovating
partnerships and improve regional
economy
Objective: Developping potential
markets « niche markets »,
Implementing investment, R&D and
training projects in line with the strategy
they defined

31. Critical Mass and Priorities
• Clustering initiatives are considered as political
tools for implementing place-based eco-
systems, for detecting innovative projects and
new innovation methods and for fostoring cross-
fertilisation among different industries.
• A cross-sectoral approach
• A mix of top-down/bottom-up approach

32. Conclusion and Recommandations
• The National Industrial Strategy includes basic
principles of S3.
• Smart Specialization Strategy is a policy concept
to improve and consolidate many existing policy
tools, particularly regional tools:
competitiveness poles and clusters.
• Smart specialization strategy should focus on
fields linked to societal challenges and
competitiveness pole.
• Smart specialization Strategy is a relevant
regional tool to foster integration of regional
actors.

33. 6/15
What is Smart Specialization Strategy
(S3)?
What is the role of clusters in S3?
What about our Clusters?