OECD Culture and Local Development.pdf - PACA

3. PROMOTING LOCAL DEVELOPMENT BY CREATING CULTURAL PRODUCTS
The new cultural and creativity districts have brought changes to this model,
for several reasons. Basic skills requirements are rising, and a growing number of
them are being taught at the university level. The project approach that some
universities are now using serves to introduce young people to this way of acquiring
know-how. Some universities have established important links with these districts:
an example is Weltech (Wellington-based Polytech) in New Zealand, which has set
up a Creative Faculty on its campus and is networking with a number of local design
firms 105 .
There is yet another obstacle to this transmission of know-how. In many districts,
what really counts is not a diploma or a professional degree, but competence. This
means that the recognition of vocational skills and experience is becoming at least
as important as the existence of formal education systems. Such a system of accreditation
requires cooperation among businesses.
Switzerland and France share a cultural and creative district, called the “time
measurement district”, that is attempting to address this problem in order to deal
with the cross-border movement of workers. A cross-border directory has been
prepared, and a common training programme, leading to a watchmaking skills
certificate, is available to firms. In 1994, a charter was signed, introducing cross-border
training in watchmaking.
Business succession
The difficulty in the economic transmission of cultural activities of a creative kind
lies in the fact it often relies on family or occupational continuity. Transmission is not
considered something that can happen in a manner independent of a certain history.
It is seen as a loss of identity, and at worst as abandonment, given the new commercial
approaches that can intervene .
All of this means that the determining factor is less the transmission in itself
than the environment of this transmission, and that the territory’s stakeholders as
a whole should be just as interested in that environment as are the entrepreneurs
or the artisans directly involved. Preventive measures can create an atmosphere
favourable to transmission, for example by setting up service centres to mobilise
all those devoted to maintaining these activities, in order to assure the development
of their territories. Assistance to young people can also be important. The point is
to attract young people into the trade, rather then ensure continuity of the firm,
although the first step may result in the second. In effect, the people in place will
be more willing to hand their business on to a person whom they have been able
to observe at work, and in whom they can recognise professional quality and
devotion to the culture of their trade.
CULTURE AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT - ISBN 92-64-00990-6 - © OECD 2005 119