Realigning the strategy to transform the economic and social development of the Basque Country

On the occasion of the 25 anniversary of the publication of “The Advantage competitive Nations” of Michael E. Porter and coincident with the 25 years of application of its conceptual line to the strategy of competitiveness and clusterization in the Basque country, Jon Azua has made a work entitled “The Competitive Advantage of Nations. A Successful Experience, Realigning the Strategy to Transform the Economic and Social Development of the Basque Country”, which provides an overview of the evolution of the competitiveness concept since the publication of Michael E. Porter, but referring to the Basque County.

The document analyses the new economy-society challenge; looks into the new needs, instruments and aspirations of the economy of the Basque Country; delves into the keys of the new Basque and world economy; and finalises with a reflection on the new station in which we find ourselves in “this long journey to competitiveness”.

His work has been published by Orkestra and is available in Spanish, Basque and English.

In the event, held on October 21st, participated Jon Azua, as well as the Economic Development and Competitiveness Minister, the SPRI General Director and representatives of ORKESTRA and Harvard University among others

In line with the group of events which, at the global level, have been held, commemoratives of the 25th anniversary of the publication of Michael E. Porter’s book, “The advantage competitive Nations”, has been organized the “Basque Cluster Day” under the initiative of SPRI, Basque Government and ORKESTRA-Basque Institute of Competitiveness. The act also coincided with the 25th anniversary of the “Cluster policy” in the Basque Country, global pioneer in its application in an institutional framework at the heart of its Competitive and industrial policy strategy.

With the interventions of the Economic and Competitiveness Development Minister, Arantza Tapia, the SPRI General Director, Alex Arriola, the Orkestra Director, Mari Jose Aranguren and the T.C.I. President and Senior Advisor of the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at Harvard University, Christian Kettels, the specialized talks and round tables by the chairpersons of the main Cluster Associations of the Basque Country, it has reviewed what has been done in these 25 years, as well as the new challenges for the future.

This event count on the participation of Jon Azua, who received a special award for his contribution to the launch of this strategy in the Basque Country and his work over this time in the world of clustering and competitiveness in the Basque Country and the world.

The event was attended, in addition, by the outstanding presence -through a video ad hoc- of Michael E. Porter recognizing the Clustering and Competitiveness Policy in the Basque Country.

New collaborative and applied research project undertaken from Enovatinglab

Unlock the competitiveness opening its concepts and essential elements towards the true inclusive development, is the challenge that we set for 2015 and which has given rise to the new collaborative and applied research project undertaken from Enovatinglab. Faithful to our commitment with the interaction of the Academy, the Company, Territory and, above all, the ability to impact on Society, we are launching this new initiative.

Unlock the Competitiveness

This year Jon Azua collaborate in the book #ESTRATEGIA00004 published by B+I Strategy with a new article

For the fourth consecutive year, B+I Strategy presents his book #Estrategia00004 in Bilbao, collecting new themes related with Strategy, notes on cutting-edge knowledge, learning from the experience of decades of consulting, direct and sincere consideration…

In this edition, Jon Azua collaborates with an article about Shared Value: Co-Creation Value from the hearth of the Company, which will be presented by its authors today at Deusto Business School.

More information about this publication in B+I Strategy.

Appearance of Jon Azua at the Basque Parliament last 27 May

The Basque Parliament is prepared to give shape to a new status of self-government for Euskadi. The paper that works in that purpose closed on May 27 the first phase of the work, the previous round of experts, who point the strengths and weaknesses of the Basque self-rule before taking the step of designing a new status.

He defended create structures of State “not of the past”, but new structures in line with the future of the Basque Country. He also considered that the best for the territory is the independence, to be a sovereign country like the other 27 States of the European Union.

Documentation used by Jon Azua in his appearance: Self Government Presentation

Exclusive and limited edition in which we could find, among others, the article and the interview with Jon Azua

After the publication of “Basque Country” report in The Guardian newspaper, “The Golden book of the Basque Country” is an exclusive and limited edition.

In the book we could find, among others, the article and the interview of Jon Azua. Reasons that led to the clusterizing strategy in the Basque Country, applicable lessons for the design of Industrial Renaissance in vogue and new lines of action before the challenges for the competitiveness.

Jon Azua, President of Enovatinglab, participated in the conference organized by JAKIUNDE – KRISIAK 2014 project

“Crisis and Industry. Lessons of the past to build the future” is the third conference organized by JAKIUNDE Krisiak 2014 project. This conference has tried to look at the always problems from enriched perspective by the experience, look into the past in order to find the guidelines for the future.

The conference has taken place on October 29, taking part the protagonists of several of the transformations that our country has lived: Jon Azua (Former Vice-President of the Basque Government), Juan Ignacio Vidarte (Guggenheim), Ignacio Martín (Gamesa), Andoni Aldekoa (Town Hall of Bilbao), Mª José Aranguren and Mikel Navarro (Orkestra), and academics of Jakiunde Andrés Arizkorreta (CAF), Mª Carmen Gallastegui, Pedro Miguel Etxenike, José Antonio Garrido and Javier Retegi.

Below you will find the presentation used by Jon Azua:

“The Guardian” and “The Report Company” publish a report about the Basque Country in which Jon Azua takes part

“The Guardian” newspaper publish a report made by “The Report Company” dedicated to the Basque Country where we can find a series of articles dealing with investment, energy, industry and innovation, infrastructure, tourism, culture, as well as exclusive interviews with different personalities of the Basque Country. Among them, we will find the interview to Jon Azua, the President of Enovatinglab, about the industrial economic development in the Basque Country in the recent past as well as his vision for the future.

Basque Country represents many different things to different people. Its rich rural life and wealth of traditions reflect its status as home to one of Europe’s oldest peoples, who speak the enigmatic Euskara language. Meanwhile, its factories and businesses are testament to its history as an industrial heartland.

Repor published in August by the World Economic Forum

In the month of August, the Center for Strategies of the World Economic Forum has published the report “The Competitiveness of Cities”, one step more in its long career of analysis and impact on the world of competitiveness.

The report, carried out by the Global Advisory Council for competitiveness, aims to open a new spatial dimension in the study of competitiveness, leading to the area of the Cities-Regions its future role in the search for prosperity and economic development more than the Nations States. The report seeks to flee from a ranking and comes to indicators to classify competitive cities. Opt for the identification of taxonomy of success of a systematic interconnection of factors that would explain the competitiveness of cities in a wide conception, beyond of GDP towards a sustainable, livable, lively and social progress world. This model is the subject of a double contrast with real experiences: a) a “small bag” of successful cities tested whose cases help us to understand this new world in development and b) a large number of “mini cases” which, throughout the five continents, reflect the extent of different models, decision making processes and strategic purposes followed by Cities.

Jon Azua, Member of the mentioned Global Advisory Council, has actively participated in the elaboration of the Report and contributed to the preparation of the Bilbao-Basque Country Case that includes the Report in the series of based cases on the “small basket of Cities-Regions of success” and interesting lessons can be drawn from that.

Main World Community about the practice of company-society Shared Value and co-creation value

Enovatinglab has become a full member of the network of consultants and promoters who belong to Shared Value Initiative, the global community based on knowledge and implementation of shared value as a key element in the co-creation of company-society value, the driving force of economic and social development.

Participation in this community enables Enovatinglab to extend and enrich its own Network Platform structure, as a result of its collaboration with leading organizations and professionals who, within the worlds of business and academia, are working to develop a new economic model, based on the co-creation of value.

Shared Value Initiative is a global community committed to the adoption and application of shared value strategies by major companies, civil society and governmental organisations.

Shared Value Initiative was set up in 2011 upon the basis of the academic input of Michael E. Porter and Mark R. Kramer who, in their article in the Harvard Business Review titled “Creation of Shared Value”, offered a conceptual framework for the development of a world community of experts involving knowledge and implementation of shared values, leading to a new paradigm which transcends the call, corporate philanthropy and corporate social responsibility.

Its members include main global corporations, non-profit organizations and foundations committed to the creation of shared value by companies and society.