28 October 2001 | 01 November 2001 | United States

The TCI Global Conference in Tucson was the first event in the Americas, not forgetting its founding precursor in Chihuaha, Mexico and it was focused on the relation between the new economy and regional clusters. Some of the biggest impacts of the new economy are being felt in regional clusters, localized groups of firms in the same or similar industries. Regional clustering is being adopted in all corners of the world as a basis for economic and business development. Instead of making clusters obsolete, the rise of the new economy is supercharging existing clusters, powering the development of new clusters, fostering ties between clusters, and providing opportunities to link clusters in the developed and developing worlds.

According to Emiliano Duch, TCI President, "we are extremely pleased to had held this conference in Tucson. Tucson has been at the forefront of cluster-based economic development for over a decade. This has been a great opportunity for analysts and decision makers from around the world to learn from the Tucson experience." Robert Breault, president of Arizona's Optics Cluster Group, and Chair of the conference organizing committee adds, "We are proud of our cluster initiatives here in Arizona. The conference helped us showcase Arizona's knowledge economy clusters before an international audience."

These days of meetings were focused on what clustered regions should do differently because of the new economy. An international group of government officials, business people, academics, and economic development professional explored and discussed the how of making clusters an economic driving force of a regional economy through meetings divided in three main focuses: service/public track, industry track and academia track that explain the relation among goverments, industry and research with the cluster creation and development.

The first day was centered in an insight into the main subjects affecting the competitiveness of regions relative to the development issues of the new economy and how clusters might play an important role. The conference was focused on the critical issues facing the major developed nations of the world and the changes that are and will take place in these counties and their global effect. The specifics affecting clusters in the emerging nations was the topic for the second day, with a specific emphasis on the need to move, the opportunities that are being created, the need for rapid evolution and the important roles of Clusters.

On top of the different presentations, the Global Conference also offered plenary sessions to discuss what practitioners should be doing to prepare themselves for the times ahead and working sessions to see how the cluster concepts are executed in the new economy.