The document outlines a Ph.D. research project focusing on the social, economic, and political impacts of alternative vehicles and fuels, particularly hydrogen and fuel cell technology. It discusses the application of cluster theory to understand the immature fuel cell industry, emphasizing the need to consider stakeholder perspectives in cluster policy. The research combines qualitative and quantitative methods to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the industry's dynamics and aims to draw lessons from global players while navigating data access challenges.

1. Gavin D. J Harper

2. The Social, Economic & Political Impacts of Alternative Vehicles & Fuels. Ph.D. Focus Porterian Clustering In Organisations Delivering Components for Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Vehicles MSc. Focus What Can The UK Learn From the Californian Fuel Cell Cluster.

3. Critical realist ontology underpins my research. The notion of hidden structure at a deep level underpins many of the ideas encapsulated in cluster theory. There is a belief that clusters result in emergent properties of increased productivity and stimulation of innovation. However, I embrace criticism of Porter’s model of clustering, and also consider weak constructionist view.

4. The fuel cell industry is relatively immature. There is not a wealth of literature on the structure and characteristics of the fuel cell industry. Cluster theory is a well-understood approach applied successfully to understand high-technology industries. The techniques I will apply in my research will attempt to understand the fuel cell industry in the context of cluster theory using approaches which borrow from industrial and economic geography.

5. Cluster policy is influenced by a range of stakeholders. It is important to capture the views of these stakeholders to ensure that a full picture of the situation is encapsulated within the study. Cluster policy exists at the juncture of policies surrounding regional development; technology and innovation encouragement and industrial policy.

6. Within the MSc. Thesis Timeline Hydrogen Valley Initiative Birmingham Conference Long Beach, California (DAMN) Within the Ph.D Thesis Timeline Vancouver, Canada – Ballard Fuel Cell Cluster Iceland, Plans to be Hydrogen Economy by 2050

7. PURE Energy Centre, Shetland Birmingham University Fuel Cells Group Fuel Cell Store, U.S.

8. To some degree, time constraints are dictating the way that the MSc. Portion of my research is structure – seizing upon the opportunities that are available to me for data collection. This limits the study to the collection of data in the UK, and in California during a two week visit in May. The Ph.D portion of my research aims to be global in scope, capturing the major players in the Fuel Cell industry.

9. Dealing With Innovation, Information May Be Cutting-Edge & Commercially Sensitive Companies may have commercial interests that they do not want disclosed. Anonymity will be offered to all participants, however, in a small industry, where the ‘industry’ is the focus rather than the processes occurring, anonymity may be undesirable and hard to achieve. This may result in a greater degree of comments and data being tacit or ‘off the record’.

10. Less Data Access Issues University Information Perceived To Be ‘Easier’ To Collect Existing Academic Contacts Could Smooth The Path To ‘Data Collection’

11. Qualitative Data gleaned from structured interviews. A common format allows meaningful comparison to be made between different locations, however there is sufficient flexibility within this format to gather additional ‘rich data’. Qualitative methods suit exploratory nature of research.

13. Interviews with partners both from university and spin out firm. There may be differences of opinion in where firm is located. Issues of power and control. Initial interviews may follow up with questionnaire to harvest ‘quantitative’ data to support arguments. Interviews will create the opportunity to form ideas more thoroughly and gain appreciation of the environment in which clusters operate.

14. Ensuring Validity With Qualitative Methods To ensure the robustness of my research, rich description is required. Triangulation of methods may be employed later in the study, with some quantitative data supporting qualitative findings. Knowledge will be ‘transferable’ to some degree, in that this is another study of a high-tech industry using the clustering approach, which has successfully been applied before.