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"What's different about the Competitive Clusters initiative is that it is not a study; it's an action project, designed to implement new ways of doing business and new solutions to long-standing problems in the economy."
— Ted Lyman, Senior Principal, Economic Competitiveness Group
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Cluster Work Group Plans
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ECG has proposed to implement a process involving the formation of 2-3 cluster working groups, one for each of the clusters chosen for the first phase of the C2 initiative. The purpose of the working groups is to bring together a representative group of individuals from cluster firms and public sector organizations that cluster firms rely on for inputs such as a skilled workforce, finance, infrastructure, and the like. We would expect that each working group would have 15-30 members. Large and complex clusters such as Agriculture would have more participants. Smaller and less complex clusters such as Knowledge Services would have fewer.
The working groups will serve as a forum for structured discussion, for achieving consensus among participants and for making decisions on matters including:
- Critical competitiveness issues facing the cluster (e.g., lack of skilled workers, transportation weaknesses, poor access to product or process technology).
- Potential remedies to overcome priority competitiveness issues (e.g., implementation of private sector funded training modules at community colleges, cluster sponsored R&D at public research centers).
- Specific action initiatives cluster leaders agree to implement to enhance the competitiveness of the cluster (e.g., programs to build housing for workers).
Success in the working group process will depend in large measure on a few key factors:
- Presence of committed co-chairs of the working group who are able to constructively guide the group toward the objectives above.
- Working groups comprising the full range of private and public players in the cluster.
- Facilitation of constructive dialogue, shaped to achieve eventual action.
The information and materials that follow further illustrate the process and provide examples from other projects of the outcomes that might come from the C2 initiative.
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Selecting Cluster Co-Chairs
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Each cluster working group should be led by two, or perhaps three co-chairs of the effort, each drawn from the private sector. Having co-chairs helps to ensure that the leadership of the group represents the general structure of the cluster. For example, the Agriculture working group will be significantly larger than the other working groups because of the complexity of the cluster. To ensure that the working group leadership adequately represents the key elements of the cluster, co-chairs might be drawn from three main commodity groups, or perhaps to represent growers, processors and shippers. Co-chairs might also be selected to represent large firms, medium sized and small firms. The idea is to establish a leadership function that captures the breadth and depth of the cluster.
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Job of Co-Chairs
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Co-chairs will be asked to help identify potential participants in the cluster working group. They could be asked to sign a letter of invitation to potential members, depending on how well they know the individual (the letter should be signed by the Chair of the Leadership Council). Co-chairs will lead up to four three hour meetings, beginning in late May and extending into November 2003.
Co-chairs will not be expected to facilitate the meetings. This ECG will do. The co-chair will open the meeting, say some words (drafted by ECG) about the importance of the C2 initiative and the work of the group.
Co-chairs will be looked to by the ECG facilitator to handle difficult situations such as meetings getting seriously off track because of one or two members not willing to 'play by the rules' (to be established by the ECG facilitator at the outset). The co-chair will conclude each meeting with appropriate remarks and encourage people to stay on task until the next meeting and to continue to participate with constructive enthusiasm.
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Selection Criteria
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Co-chairs selected for the working groups should have certain characteristics. For example, in general they should be:
- Well-recognized leaders in the industry;
Widely viewed as clear thinking, visionary and pragmatic types
- Better listeners than talkers
- Able to manage meetings so that objectives can be achieved
- Able to command authority when authority is needed
Personality characteristics to avoid might include individuals who are:
- Strong willed, overpowering in their presence
- Carry considerable political or issue 'baggage'
- Unable to see the benefits of competitors working together for the common good
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Selecting Potential Co-chairs
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We should start the process by discussing potential co-chairs with key members of our Leadership Council. With these criteria in mind, they should be asked their opinions. From a 'long list,' we can then focus on top candidates and make appropriate contact. Personal meetings with potential co-chairs are preferred over letters.
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Selecting Members of the Cluster Working Group
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To reiterate, each working group will be comprised of 15-30 individuals drawn from the private and public sector. Private sector leaders should represent firms that are:
- Key exporters of products or services related to the cluster (typically larger firms)
- Suppliers to firms exporting goods and services (typically smaller firms)
- Representative of sub-regions of the county
Pubic sector members of the working groups should represent government organizations and agencies that provide the economic infrastructure needed by firms in order to be competitive, including:
- Education and job skill training institutions
- Research and development institutions
- Finance organizations
- Physical infrastructure agencies (especially air and highway transportation providers)
The criteria for selecting individuals from firms and public institutions would be similar to the criteria for selecting co-chairs. Argumentative, difficult personalities should be avoided.
Working group participants would be asked to meet at least four times, between May and November. Each meeting would be approximately 3 hours long.
Letters inviting potential members of the working groups should be sent by the Leadership Council, perhaps over the signature of one or more co-chairs as well. Follow up telephone contact would probably be necessary to clarify the task, time requirements, etc.
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