Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
These figures and facts may justify high investments and show that the tran-
sition of old industrial structures, gone forever in Dortmund, into modern indus-
trial and business structures can be described as successful to some extent.
However, there are old and new challenges to address as well, by measures still
to be worked out. A few final words are due.
The rate of unemployment is still high. So far, the loss of so many jobs in the
past has not been fully compensated. While the traditional industries were able to
offer decent employment opportunities to a large number of low- to semi-qualified
employees, technology-based enterprises predominantly employ a highly skilled
work force. In a way, the shift of economic sectors leads to a substitution of work
force, but not a substitution of employment opportunities. Also, high-tech com-
panies are usually more specialized and smaller. They do not necessarily lead to
mass employment. Other forms of business or industrial production also have to be
developed in order to sustain a demographically diverse region such as Dortmund.
In addition, the huge threat of demographic decline in Germany, as well as in
many western countries, poses questions not yet understood, let alone answered.
Companies will be facing a fast growing difficulty to find the skilled work force
they need to be competitive. At first glance, this seems to be a problem that
enterprises have to resolve on their own. However, resuming the holistic view
adopted in this paper, this problem will be of the greatest concern to all players
who are involved in the economic process.
In the past 30 years in the City of Dortmund the enterprises, financial as well as
educational and scientific institutions managed to develop strategies to cope suc-
cessfully with the big economic crisis caused by the collapse of traditional
industries. The authors of this paper are convinced that the previous arsenal of
creative
tools
and
actions
will
be
suitably
augmented
to
address
the
new
challenges.
References
Alecke, B., et al. (2006). Are there really high-tech clusters? The geographic concentration of
German manufacturing industries and its determinants. The Annals of Regional Science, 40,
19-42.
Alsleben, C. (2005). The downside of knowledge spillovers: An explanation for the dispersion of
high-tech industries. Journal of Economics, 84(3), 217-248.
Audretsch, D.B. (2003, December): Specialization or Diversification of Regional Economic
Structure: Empirical Findings and Strategic Orientation. Prepared for Presentation at the
Conference on Clustermanagement in der Strukturpolitik-Internationale Erfahrungen und
Konsequenzen fuer NRW, Duisburg.
Becker, E., Herrmann, S. (2013). Changing dark coal into illuminating high-tech, Ways out of an
economic crisis-The case of Dortmund. World Technopolis Review, 1(4), 276-286
Camagni, R. (2003, December). Regional Clusters, Regional Competencies and Regional
Competition. Paper delivered at the International Conference on ''Cluster management in
structural policy''-International experiences and consequences for Northrhine-Westphalia,
Duisburg.
Search WWH ::
Custom Search