Cooperation, Proximity, and Social Innovation: Three Ingredients for Industrial Medium-Sized Towns’ Renewal?

Abstract

Over several decades, medium-sized industrial towns have suffered from a combination of economic and political processes: Deindustrialization, metropolization, and withdrawal of public services. After two decades in which they have been somewhat neglected (in favor of metropolises), there have recently been State and European public policies aimed at them. Medium-sized cities are not homogeneous and present several trajectories. Based on quantitative approach in France, we highlight the very diverse socio-economic dynamics of French medium-sized industrial towns. Thus, far from widespread decline or shrinking dynamics, some of these cities are experiencing an economic rebound. This is the case of Romans-sur-Isère, a medium-sized town located in the south-east of France. Focusing our qualitative analyze on this city, we try to understand this type of process. In this medium-sized town, former capital of the shoe industry, local stakeholders, private, and public try to support a productive renewal. The results of our case study highlight the role that cooperation, spatial and organizational proximity, and social innovation could play in the renewal of productive economy in medium-sized industrial towns. Even if the economic situation remains difficult for many medium-sized cities in France as in Europe, we argue that they could have a productive future making and ultimately take advantages of their “medium-sized” attributes.

‘What is industrial culture anyway?’ Theoretical framing of the concept in economic geography

“…Industrial culture can be approached as a catalyst for combating negative socio-economic changes and building resilience in a deindustrialised context, since articulating (post)industrial narratives can generate trust and collective directions of economic development (Pike, 2020). The concept has already been used in social innovation research, where it has been recognised to mobilise actors to create new solutions to existing social needs (Gros-Balthazard & Talandier, 2020;Tiran et al, 2019). A case study of a transforming industrial city revealed that industrial values such as camaraderie, solidarity, and equality can be translated into volunteering and innovative social service activities that provide social care and security to citizens (Kozina et al, 2021).…”

Innovation sociale et barrières institutionnelles : cheminer des acteurs externes vers les institutions

“…Nyseth et Hamdouch (2019) y voient des pratiques et activités permettant de faire face à des enjeux sociaux ou de répondre aux besoins sociaux de la population d'un territoire. Ils arrivent à la même conclusion qu'une multitude de chercheurs : l'IS permet d'identifier les besoins d'une communauté (Bartels, 2017;Gros-Balthazard et Talandier, 2020;Howaldt et Schwarz, 2010;Ricciardelli et collab., 2020;Thompson, 2019). Une nuance est toutefois apportée par Cajaiba-Santana (2014) : répondre à un besoin social ne constitue pas automatiquement une innovation sociale.…”