Creativity in the Lille metropolitan area : the example of the image sector

In France, the Paris region is the traditional centre for decision-making and creative functions. Unsurprisingly, it concentrates most cultural industries – cinema, multimedia, TV, etc. The aim of this paper is to study how other French cities, and more specifically regional medium-sized cities, can develop this type of activities. We will take the example of the multimedia industry in the Lille metropolitan area. Ann-Lee Saxenian (1994) has shown the importance of regional culture and heritage in the constitution of an economic trajectory. The pre-existence of links between film production, media or microelectronic industries, and of an intense cultural life can support the emergence of essential know-how for the development of an image sector (Sträter, 2000). Lille isn’t a traditional filming area and the weak presence of the television media didn’t facilitate the emergence of large regional production groups. But, the decline of textile factories has allowed the development of new activities, as mail-order selling, which have used multimedia and image technologies since the 1980s. Moreover, Lille metropolitan area has a broad training offering in the technical and creative fields which can have significant repercussions for the constitution of a creative class (Florida, 2002). But the emergence of start-up has been very limited since the 1990s and 2000s. In 2009, the Lille metropolitan area counts only 350 firms in the image sector and has not a critical mass. Cognitive diversity generated by a social group stimulates creative individual potential (Miliken, Bartel and Kurtzberg, 2003). This explains the choice made by public authorities to locate audiovisual and multimedia firms in three media districts, which accommodates schools, research centres, publics authorities and firms (thanks to free tax zones, cheap facilities and incubators) according to the Triple Helix principles (Etzkowitz and Leydersdorff, 1997). That projects aim to retain young graduates by offering an environment enable to developing their careers. But the national project for extending the Plaine Saint-Denis audiovisual cluster, located north of Paris, is likely to deter the settlement of firms in Lille, because of the weakness of both the sector and the networks.

Cosmological constraints from the Hubble diagram of quasars at high redshifts

The concordance (LambdaCDM) model reproduces the main current cosmological observations assuming the validity of general relativity at all scales and epochs, the presence of cold dark matter, and of a cosmological constant, equivalent to a dark energy with constant density in space and time. However, the LambdaCDM model is poorly tested in the redshift interval between the farthest observed Type Ia supernovae5 and that of the Cosmic Microwave background (CMB). We present new measurements of the expansion rate of the Universe in the range 0.5<z<5.5 based on a Hubble diagram of quasars. The quasar distances are estimated from their X-ray and ultraviolet emission, following a method developed by our group. The distance modulus-redshift relation of quasars at z<1.4 is in agreement with that of supernovae and with the concordance model. Yet, a deviation from the LambdaCDM model emerges at higher redshift, with a statistical significance of ~4 sigma. If an evolution of the dark energy equation of state is allowed, the data suggest a dark energy density increasing with time.Comment: To appear in Nature Astronomy. This is the re-submitted version in the authors' custom format. The complete data table is available upon reques

Emergent multimedia clusters in the Lille, Lyon and Marseille metropolitan areas

The spatial, organizational and institutional proximity plays an important part in the geography of economic development (Boschma, 2005). It is therefore important to see what kinds of networks are being developed within the multimédia sector between the different actors of the Triple Helix (Etzkowitz and Leydersdorff, 1997): firms, training and R&D facilities, and public authorities. We will take for the example three French metropolitan areas: Lille, Lyon and Marseille. The dynamism of the social networks is supported by the development of a collective governance which associates public and private actors (Maillat and Kébir, 1999). So, initiatives have launched to facilitate strategic governance of emergent regional multimédia clusters. Three forms of governance (Tremblay and Rousseau, 2005) can be distinguished: public (Pole Images Nord-Pas-de-Calais in Lille), private (Imaginove in Lyon) and public-private partnership (Pole Sud Image in Marseille). These contrasted situations result from internal conflicts in the different industries of the multimedia sector. These structures have launched several similar actions in order to the constitution of social networks. Principles are inspired by the Competitivness Clusters and Michael Porter’s theories (2000). We can summarize them in the following way: - Interprofessional meetings, - Pooling of the human resources of the companies from the cluster, - Training programme for employees and executives, - Calls for collaborative projects which associate industrial and academic partners, - Support to firms willing to try out innovative business approaches, - Support programme for companies seeking to compete internationally. But, collaboration between different firms was generally low or nonexistent in spite of several regional projects (Einright, 1996). Collaborations are still very recent, rarely include a cross-media approach and hesitate to develop partnerships with research units. Similarly, the three metropolitan areas suffer from the poor adaptation of the regional training offer, which is far too rich and diverse compared to the actual capacities of the regional moving picture economy. Companies, mainly SMEs, cannot hire many people and they hesitate to embark on international missions.

The development of the image sector in the Marseille metropolitan area: Historical factors, creative resources and difficulties

The aim of this paper is to study in what respect historical legacies and creative resources have determined the settlement of multimedia companies in the Marseille metropolitan area, the third multimedia cluster after the Paris and Lyon regions. Ann-Lee Saxenian (1994) has shown the importance of regional culture and heritage in the constitution of an economic trajectory. The pre-existence of links between the media, microelectronic or photographic industries, and of an intense cultural life can support the emergence of essential know-how for the development of a multimedia sector (Sträter, 2000). Marseille is a traditional filming area: in 1895, one of first cinematographic films was shot in La Ciotat. The sunny climate and splendid landscapes made it the setting for Marcel Pagnol's films in the 1930s. However, the weak presence of the press and television media didn't facilitate the emergence of large regional production or post-production groups. Yet the presence of major schools in the technical and creative fields can have significant repercussions for the constitution of a creative class (Florida, 2002). Thus, the fact that major national art schools are located in Marseille allows for the training of young talents who are initially tempted to remain within the metropolitan area thanks to good communication infrastructures (TGV, broad-band connections) and locations for start-ups (the Belle de Mai media cluster). Moreover, technical know-how, such as microelectronics or telecommunications, involve creativity, innovation and the adaptation of multimedia firms to technological changes. But, cognitive diversity generated by a social group stimulates creative individual potential (Miliken, Bartel and Kurtzberg, 2003). This explains the choice made by public authorities (the Euroméditerranée program) to locate audiovisual and multimedia firms in the Belle de Mai media cluster, which accommodates Parisian firms in search of pleasant surroundings, free tax zones and cheap facilities more than local companies. But the national project for extending the Plaine Saint-Denis audiovisual cluster, located north of Paris, is likely to deter the settlement of firms in Marseille, because of the weakness of both the sector and the networks

Emergent multimedia clusters in the Lille, Lyon and Marseille metropolitan areas

The spatial, organizational and institutional proximity plays an important part in the geography of economic development (Boschma, 2005). It is therefore important to see what kinds of networks are being developed within the multimédia sector between the different actors of the Triple Helix (Etzkowitz and Leydersdorff, 1997): firms, training and R&D facilities, and public authorities. We will take for the example three French metropolitan areas: Lille, Lyon and Marseille. The dynamism of the social networks is supported by the development of a collective governance which associates public and private actors (Maillat and Kébir, 1999). So, initiatives have launched to facilitate strategic governance of emergent regional multimédia clusters. Three forms of governance (Tremblay and Rousseau, 2005) can be distinguished: public (Pole Images Nord-Pas-de-Calais in Lille), private (Imaginove in Lyon) and public-private partnership (Pole Sud Image in Marseille). These contrasted situations result from internal conflicts in the different industries of the multimedia sector. These structures have launched several similar actions in order to the constitution of social networks. Principles are inspired by the Competitivness Clusters and Michael Porter's theories (2000). We can summarize them in the following way: - Interprofessional meetings, - Pooling of the human resources of the companies from the cluster, - Training programme for employees and executives, - Calls for collaborative projects which associate industrial and academic partners, - Support to firms willing to try out innovative business approaches, - Support programme for companies seeking to compete internationally. But, collaboration between different firms was generally low or nonexistent in spite of several regional projects (Einright, 1996). Collaborations are still very recent, rarely include a cross-media approach and hesitate to develop partnerships with research units. Similarly, the three metropolitan areas suffer from the poor adaptation of the regional training offer, which is far too rich and diverse compared to the actual capacities of the regional moving picture economy. Companies, mainly SMEs, cannot hire many people and they hesitate to embark on international missions

The development dynamics of the Paris region multimedia cluster

In France, the Paris region is the traditional centre for decision-making and creative functions. Unsurprisingly, it respectively concentrates 75% and 90% of audiovisual producers and technicians, and 52% of video games employees (IAURIF, 2010). The aim of this paper is to analyse if the Parisian media sector has developed a clustering dynamics. Following the rediscovery of Alfred Marshall's academic publications during the eighties, a widening number of research papers - mainly draft in Europe and United-States - concentrates on explaining the ins and outs of the spatial and relational proximities. The unsettled notion of cluster popularized from 1990 by Michael Porter had a coronation within the academic community, instead of the substantial conceptual limits underline by various schools of thought. Consequently, the concept of innovation cluster blows in the communications of the spatial economists achieving scientific works on high-tech sector. Unlike the classical approach, innovative clusters assert at least three new features: - The regional scale (Enright, Dodwell et Scott, 1996), - The collaborative process of governance (Ehlinger, Perret and Chabaud, 2007 ; Den Hertog and Roelandt, 1999) which gathers the Triple Helix actors Etzkowitz and Leydersdorff, 1997): firms, training and R&D facilities, and public authorities. - The non-immediately-marketable aspect of the relationships undertook within the cluster (Glon, 2007). The Paris region concentrates 10.000 multimedia firms, including a great number of SME which sometimes have established networks with some multinational media groups. However, the relations are extremely limited with the regional schools and research laboratories. The economic situation of SME remains very fragile. That's explain the launching in 2005 by the Ile de France Regional Council of a cross-media professional association, Cap Digital, labellized competitiveness cluster. On the regional scale, this association gathers 450 firms, 50 schools or universities and 170 research laboratories in audiovisual, video games, software, Internet and telecommunications industries. In spite of a rapid growth of the sector and 150 projects labellized on the regional scale, collaborations within the cluster still remain very recent, rarely include a cross-media approach and hesitate to develop partnerships with research units. According to J-C Daumas (2007), clusters are characterized by several phases: emergence, growth, decline and rebirth. We can consider that the Parisian multimedia cluster as a growth and structuring cluster

Creativity in the Lille metropolitan area: the example of the image sector

In France, the Paris region is the traditional centre for decision-making and creative functions. Unsurprisingly, it concentrates most cultural industries - cinema, multimedia, TV, etc. The aim of this paper is to study how other French cities, and more specifically regional medium-sized cities, can develop this type of activities. We will take the example of the multimedia industry in the Lille metropolitan area. Ann-Lee Saxenian (1994) has shown the importance of regional culture and heritage in the constitution of an economic trajectory. The pre-existence of links between film production, media or microelectronic industries, and of an intense cultural life can support the emergence of essential know-how for the development of an image sector (Sträter, 2000). Lille isn't a traditional filming area and the weak presence of the television media didn't facilitate the emergence of large regional production groups. But, the decline of textile factories has allowed the development of new activities, as mail-order selling, which have used multimedia and image technologies since the 1980s. Moreover, Lille metropolitan area has a broad training offering in the technical and creative fields which can have significant repercussions for the constitution of a creative class (Florida, 2002). But the emergence of start-up has been very limited since the 1990s and 2000s. In 2009, the Lille metropolitan area counts only 350 firms in the image sector and has not a critical mass. Cognitive diversity generated by a social group stimulates creative individual potential (Miliken, Bartel and Kurtzberg, 2003). This explains the choice made by public authorities to locate audiovisual and multimedia firms in three media districts, which accommodates schools, research centres, publics authorities and firms (thanks to free tax zones, cheap facilities and incubators) according to the Triple Helix principles (Etzkowitz and Leydersdorff, 1997). That projects aim to retain young graduates by offering an environment enable to developing their careers. But the national project for extending the Plaine Saint-Denis audiovisual cluster, located north of Paris, is likely to deter the settlement of firms in Lille, because of the weakness of both the sector and the networks