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Background The significance of businesses’ forming geographic clusters with firms in the same or related sectors has moved to the forefront of the Government’s business agenda. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) argues that collaboration between firms in networks and clusters is a key driver in the development of a knowledge-driven economy. It is therefore urging local and regional development agencies to focus their strategies on the understanding and promotion of business clusters. By understanding the levers which encourage their growth and the obstacles which slow down or frustrate such growth is seen as a key policy objective. The Corporation of London, as the local authority for the biggest and most important cluster in London, is ideally placed to help drive this debate forward. As such there is an opportunity for the Corporation to be at the heart of the debate and influence thinking amongst policy makers. With this in mind the Economic Development Unit recently commissioned a ‘scoping study’ outlining methods for researching the cluster of financial and business services in and around the City. This study collected and reviewed current knowledge on ‘cluster theory’ and discussed how it could be applied to the City and the wider London economy. This report also discussed how this research could be taken forward. The key findings of this preliminary research were:
The aim of this study will be to further research some of these key preliminary findings in order to greater our understanding of how ‘economic clusters’ work and their importance. Requirements
Methodology It is expected that this research will involve desk research, surveys and interviews with a range of large, medium and small organisations in the financial and business services sector within the City of London and the City fringe. It is also hoped that brain-storming sessions and focus groups with the Corporation and other interested parties can be built in at an early stage. Consultants are requested to specify their proposed methods in terms of survey size and type and the number of interviews they intend to make. Consultants will also be expected to demonstrate that they are likely to achieve the necessary research access to businesses. Deliverables A final report of no longer than 10,000 words submitted as a word 97 formatted document. It is also hoped that, if feasible, an initial quarterly interim report will be delivered and discussed with the Economic Development Unit and the Department of Planning and Transportation at the Corporation. In particular, this will concentrate on the sustainability benefits that may arise from the concentration and clustering of central London activities in general, and City activities in particular (refer to requirement 3 above). It is expected that the consultants will deliver an interim report around half way through the project and progress reports every month or so informing the Corporation and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) of progress and interim findings. At the end of the project the consultants will be expected to give a presentation of findings at a seminar on this subject. Timing It is hoped this research will start by August/September 2001. Research to be completed within around 12 months. Budget A maximum of £80,000 is available for the work of which £30,000 has been made available from the Economic and Social Research Council’s (ESRC) Cities-Competitiveness and Cohesion Fund. Proposals Proposals to conduct the research should include a description of how the work would be conducted, CVs of the leading researchers (which should demonstrate expertise in either ‘Clusters Theory’ or subjects related to Competition, Innovation or related/relevant aspects of finance) and a quotation of the cost of conducting the research. Proposals should be submitted to: Richard
Bostock The closing date for proposals is the 15th August 2001. Contractual Arrangements The project is a joint project between the Corporation of London and the Government’s Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). The appointed consultants contractual relationship will be with the Corporation and the Corporations standard terms and conditions (with some ESRC amendments) for research consultancy will apply. |
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