Introduction and overview

1
Introduction and overview

• Structural change in the Ruhr Area
• Europes biggest industrial concentration
• prototype of an old/traditional industrial area
• Set-up and overview of presentation
• a neo-Schumpeterian point of view
• the Ruhr Area from growth to crisis
• neo-industrialisation in the Ruhr Area
• conclusions and lessons for other areas

2
A neo-Schumpeterian view

• Schumpeter growth is technology-driven
• new combinations as the economys engine
• Fourastié production effects of technology
• agriculture medium productivity growth
• manufacturing high productivity growth
• services low or zero productivity growth
• But simultaneously consumption effects
• saturation and rising demand for services

3
Towards new combinations

• Structural change to a services economy
• imbalance between production and consumption
• technology forces man to specialise in human work
• but time lag due to economic/institutional
  lock-in
• Neo-Schumpeterian view on industrial areas
• importance of an areas economic/institutional
  past
• issue how to connect manufacturing with
  services?
• new combinations of local traditions-global
  trends

4
Growth of the Ruhr Area

• The Ruhr Area in the Blue Banana
• industrial conurbation in North-Rhine Westphalia
• 5.5 million people on a surface of 4,400 km²
• nicknames Smelztiegel, Ruhrstadt, Kohlenpott
• Work horse of the German economy
• coal and steel industry (Krupp, Thyssen,
  Kirdorff)
• rapid industrial growth during World War II
• 1950s from Ruhrstatut to Wirtschaftswunder

5
Severe industrial crisis

• Coal and steel crisis in the Ruhr Area
• since 1957 coal crisis (Zechensterben)
• since 1973 steel crisis (closure premiums)
• causes strong competition and overcapacity
• Bad starting position due to Altlasten
• economic rigid mono-structure and lock-in
• ecological pollution, e.g. in Emscher-river
• spatial urban patchwork without real centres

6
Towards neo-industrialisation

• The need for regional structural change
• since the 1960s regional policy (KVR)
• closures and technology policy (universities)
• opposition from local firms (Bodensperre)
• Since the 1980s a gradual policy change
• KVR ruhrgebietsfremde activities mainly fail
• neo-industrialisation combination of old with
  new
• revitalisation, diversification and regional
  branding

7
Structural change in the 90s

• IBA Emscherpark programme (1989-1999)
• goal workshop for the future of industrial
  regions
• contents projects, e.g. revitalisation business
  sites
• process local empowerment (localisation)
• Neo-industrialisation in services economy
• integral approach to economy, ecology and space
• environmental, energy and solar tech on old sites
  
• industrial culture tourism, concerts, Ruhr Tour

8
Lessons for industrial areas

• Conclusion mixed feelings on Ruhr Area
• regional branding is good, but conceals problems
• new combinations do not offer many jobs
• risk festivalisation rather than revitalisation
• Lessons from the Ruhr Area for other areas
• neo-industrialisation coal and steel ? heavy
  metal
• localisation value of local cooperation from
  below
• diversification strive for many new
  combinations