 |
resources forexplore exploreresources for |
The ability of firms, industries, and regions to continually translate information and knowledge into viable new products, services, and production processes in the face of constantly changing technology and market conditions is increasingly at the core of competitive success in the contemporary economy. Such economic learning is ultimately dependent on the ability of individuals to learn, and yet most of the literature in this area has focused on firms and organizational learning processes, and is only beginning to seriously engage with people's learning processes. This paper explores the links between social learning processes and dynamics of innovation in Silicon Valley, arguing that cross-firm, occupationally-based, 'communities of practice' provide a critical context for individuals to learn and maintain the competencies they need to be successful in the region's dynamic but volatile economy. These cross-firm occupational learning communities in many cases are being built through the activities of formal professional associations, which are playing an increasingly important role in providing the organizational infrastructure to sustain these learning communities. Using a case study of an association of women in Internet design and development occupations, the paper illustrates the value of such communities in supporting individual and collective learning processes. These findings suggest that economic development strategies could productively be focused on identifying, strengthening and expanding access to such cross-firm occupational learning communities.
The information revolution has resulted in a surprising re-emergence of 'guilds' and other occupational communities, as skilled information technology workers come together in order to share knowledge, improve career opportunities, and protect themselves from insecurity. This paper examines the activities of guilds in Silicon Valley, evaluating their effectiveness and the broader implications for worker representation in the information economy. Given the rapidly changing skill requirements associated with the volatility of the information economy, these guild-like structures have a difficult time affecting labor supply or regulating standards in their occupations, and thus lack the monopoly strength that sustained their medieval antecedents. Nonetheless, the decline of workplace stability continues to undermine work-site based representation and increases the attractiveness of guild-type structures. Thus, since these guilds do provide some significant benefits for their members, they can be an important component of broader strategies aimed at building security for workers in the information economy.
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are both critical for economic development, and highly disruptive to existing employment opportunities. Maximizing the potential of ICTs requires both promoting their use and addressing the inequality and dislocation they may cause. This paper examines South African national policy efforts that have an explicit goal of both growth and equity in the promotion of ICT use. Through an examination of two particularly high profile programs, the paper argues that national policy minimizes the potentially negative impact of ICTs on traditional employment sectors and fails to address the volatile nature of employment and skill requirements in ICT industries themselves. As a result, unless these shortcomings are addressed, national ICT policy in South Africa seems likely to further contribute to the disruption of existing employment opportunities while contributing to growing inequality.
As contemporary labor markets have become more complex, volatile and unpredictable, labor market intermediaries (LMIs) have played an increasingly prominent role in shaping labor flexibility and regional development. Existing theories of regional development, however, don't adequately account for this prominent role. Using Silicon Valley as a case study, this article contributes to developing a theory of intermediaries and regional development by highlighting the role LMIs play in three important labor market functions-reducing transactions costs, building networks and managing risk. In doing this, intermediaries play a critical role in shaping the speed and character of labor market adjustment, thus contributing directly to regional development, with significant implications for regional development policy.
Keywords: Regional development; labor market flexibility; intermediaries; Silicon Valley; theory.
Community-based organizations (CBOs) are increasingly interested in tackling issues of regional economic development to address the inequality and resource shortfalls that plague their constituents. Some groups have conducted "regional audits" to understand the economic and political terrain and select entry points that will maximize their impact. This article reports on a collaborative effort between university and community partners in California's Central Coast that involved the development of a research-based audit, explaining how the complex interplay of economic clusters, environmentalist traditions, and demographic changes led to an initial emphasis on housing. We note how the conscious power-building aspects of this approach can help with economic and community development, and we draw lessons for community-based regionalist efforts in other parts of the country.