History Matters: Path dependence and innovation in British city ...

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Figure 19: The growth of high-tech Cambridge – number of innovative firms by year of incorporation 20 18 16 14 Number of companies incorporated 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 First Wave Second Wave Third Wave Fourth Wave Years of incorporation IT > Elec. Equipment & Instruments Life Sciences > Biotechnology IT > Application Software Source: Based on Library House (2004) postcode districts – CB4 and CB2; and there is undoubtedly a ‘Cambridge effect’ – one might say a ‘Cambridge brand’ – at work in the location of these centres of innovative activity, in that a CB postcode enables them to identify with, and be externally identified as belonging to, the Cambridge ‘high-tech cluster’. The Cambridge-based venture capital research and advisory consultancy, Library House, estimates that the Cambridge high-tech cluster now contains around 900 innovative firms, employing around 30,000 people. Other estimates take a wider definition, including education, media and other creative sectors, and a wider geographical coverage, suggesting as many as 50,000 knowledge-related workers. The growth of the high-tech economy occurred in four waves: the early-1970s to the late- 1970s; the late-1970s to the mid-1980s; the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s; and the mid- 1990s to the present (see Figure 19). These waves, in turn, have to some extent reflected the sectoral evolution of the high-tech base. The early phase of development was based mainly around IT activity, specifically electronic equipment and instruments. The second wave not only saw another expansion of these IT activities, but also a noticeable development of life-sciences firms, mainly in biotechnology. The third wave was led particularly by IT applications and software. The fourth most recent wave saw further expansion of this sector, but also very strong growth in biotechnology. Some observers now point to a possible fifth wave emerging, based around a major new phase of growth of medical research as part of the enlargement and development programme of Addenbrooke’s Hospital, and the development of an embryonic ‘clean technologies’ cluster (associated with various environmental technologies and processes). Importantly, over the course of its 35-40 year evolution, Cambridge’s high-tech economy has become progressively more diversified. Local studies and commentators identify up to 15 main sectoral pathways (Figures 20 and 21). While the precise number depends on how different high-tech activities are defined – their boundaries are often fuzzy and overlapping – there is a definite trend towards what might be called the ‘clustered diversity’ of the high-tech economy. 42
Figure 20: The time-line and diversification of high-tech pathways in the Cambridge cluster The future? 2001 1991 Nanomaterials 1971 Scientific instruments 1981 Computing Scientific instruments Software Telecoms Computing Scientific instruments Software Biosciences Inkjet printers Telecoms Computing Scientific instruments Software Biosciences Drugs delivery Inkjet printers Informatics Medical engineering LEPs Drug modelling Sentient computing Clean technologies Instrumentation Source: PACEC, Greater Cambridge Partnership, 2003; Interview C003 Figure 21: Subclusters in the Cambridge high-tech economy – according to Library House Application Software Biotechnology Electronic Equipment and Instruments Life Science Devices, Instruments and Supplies Internet Software & Services IT Management Industrial Machinery System Software Wireless Telecommunication Services Computer Storage and Peripherals Communications Hardware Computing System Hardware Photonics IT System Consumers Electronics 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 Software, Biotechnology and Instruments dominate Number of Cambridge Cluster companies by Industry Sub-sector: 2004 Source: Library House (2004) 43
Page 1: Research report: July 2008 History
Page 4 and 5: Executive summary History matters:
Page 6 and 7: 5. Strong local social networks. By
Page 8 and 9: Acknowledgements This report was wr
Page 10 and 11: Part 1: Introduction 1.1 History ma
Page 12 and 13: Figure 2: Three perspectives on eco
Page 14 and 15: Figure 4: Two alternative path depe
Page 16 and 17: In the long-run, city-regional econ
Page 18 and 19: into new practical and commercial f
Page 20 and 21: Part 2: Path dependence and innovat
Page 22 and 23: Map 2: Introduction of novel produc
Page 24 and 25: Figure 8: Selected cities best fit
Page 26 and 27: Figure 10: Change in knowledge-inte
Page 28 and 29: Figure 12: Knowledge partners locat
Page 30 and 31: Figure 14: Change in proportions of
Page 32 and 33: Figure 15: New firm formation in se
Page 34 and 35: Figure 17: New firm formation by in
Page 36 and 37: Part 3: Cambridge and Swansea: cont
Page 38 and 39: Around the same time, the public se
Page 40 and 41: with around 10-12 firms on each of
Page 44 and 45: Figure 22: Cambridge annual employm
Page 46 and 47: Figure 24: Cambridge and Swansea em
Page 48 and 49: Figure 25: Cambridge and Swansea kn
Page 50 and 51: Figure 27: The explosion of patenti
Page 52 and 53: Figure 29: Cambridge and Swansea na
Page 54 and 55: average in all forms of innovation
Page 56 and 57: Figure 32: Cambridge and Swansea na
Page 58 and 59: new technologies, products or proce
Page 60 and 61: innovation. The Cambridge cluster w
Page 62 and 63: Part 4: Why do cities differ in inn
Page 64 and 65: of the subsequent construction of s
Page 66 and 67: These two studies illustrate how qu
Page 68 and 69: 68 or technology transfer programme
Page 70 and 71: Map 4: Warrington Master Plan 1972
Page 72 and 73: Map 6: Analysis of innovation outco
Page 74 and 75: Map 8: Analysis of innovation outco
Page 76 and 77: Map 10: Analysis of innovation outc
Page 78 and 79: Map 12: Analysis of innovation outc
Page 80 and 81: Appendix 2: Secondary data indicato
Page 82 and 83: Indicators of path dependent develo
Page 84 and 85: Table 11: GVA per capita Indicator
Page 86 and 87: Table 17: Patent applications per c
Page 88 and 89: Table 22: Geography of knowledge ne
Page 90 and 91: Table 28: Occupational breakdown of
Page 92 and 93:
Cohen, W. and Levinthal, D. A. (199
Page 94:
Roberts, M. (2004) The Growth Perfo
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