Paul Krugman's Geographical Economics, Industrial Clustering and the British Motor Sport Industry

Abstract

PINCH S. and HENRY N. (1999) Paul Krugman's geographical economics, industrial clustering and the British motor sport industry, Reg. Studies 33 , 815-827. Paul Krugman is one of a growing band of economists who have discovered the importance of the region in stimulating national economic competitiveness. Whilst the early reactions to his ideas by geographers tended to be hostile, there have recently been calls by geographers for a more considered view of his concepts. This paper examines the utility of Krugman's ideas for explaining the geographical cluster of small firms constituted by the British motor sport industry. It is argued that Krugman's emphasis upon accidents of history and external economies of scale provides only partial insights into the reasons for the evolution and maintenance of this industrial agglomeration. Greater insights are provided by an approach which focuses upon the dissemination of knowledge through the concept of untraded interdependencies. PINCH S. et HENRY N. (1999) L'economie geographique d'apres Paul Krugman, l'agglomeration industrielle et l'industrie du sport automobile en Grande-Bretagne, Reg. Studies 33 , 815-827. Paul Krugman fait partie d'un groupe d'economistes de plus en plus nombreux qui ont decouvert l'importance de la region en tant que catalyseur quant a la competitivite economique nationale. Tandis que les premieres reactions des geographes a ses idees avaient tendance a etre hostiles, plus recemment un avis plus reflechi de ses idees a ete reclame. Cet article cherche a examiner l'utilite des idees de Krugman pour expliquer l'agglomeration geographique des petites entreprises qui constituent l'industrie du sport automobile en Grande-Bretagne. On affirme que l'accent que met Krugman sur les effets ponctuels et les economies d'echelle externes ne donne que des apercus partiels sur l'evolution et le maintien de cette agglomeration industrielle. Une facon qui porte sur la diffusion des connaissances par l'idee des interdependances non-commerciales donne des apercus plus clairs. PINCH S. und HENRY N. (1999) Paul Krugmans geographische Wirtschaftswissenschaft, industrielle Ballung und die britische Autorennsportindustrie, Reg. Studies 33 , 815-827. Paul Krugman gehort zu der immer zahlreicher werdenden Schar der Wirtschaftswissenschaftler, welche die Bedeutung der Region bei der Belebung der wirtschaftlichen Wettbewerbsfahigkeit eines Landes entdeckt haben. Obschon anfanglich die Reaktion der Geographen auf seine Ideen meist feindlicher Natur waren, gab es in jungster Zeit unter ihnen Aufrufe zu abwagenderer Betrachtung seiner Vorstellungen. Dieser Aufsatz untersucht die Nutzlichkeit der krugmanschen Ideen zur Erklarung der geographischen Ballung kleiner Firmen, welche die britische Autorennsportindustrie bilden. Es wird die Ansicht vertreten, dass Krugmans Betonung historischer Zufalle und ausserlichen Einsparungen durch gesteigerte Produktivitat nur teilweise Einsichten in Grunde fur Entwicklung und Fortbestand dieser industriellen Ballung liefert. Vertiefte Einsichten ...

Does Cluster Membership Enhance Financial Performance?

“…Pinch and Henry (1999) [8], in the previously referenced study of factors contributing to the development and dominance of the British racing car industry, document the positive effects of knowledge spillovers. They characterize this cluster as a "community of knowledge.…”

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