Spatialising knowledge N. Henry a, S. Pinch b

Overview of Motor Sport Valley

• Knowledge Community Definition: A geographically concentrated group involved in building the best racing cars, emphasizing processes of knowledge generation and dissemination.

• Agglomeration Area: Centered around Oxfordshire, stretching into East Anglia and Surrey, it embodies a significant portion of the British motor sport industry, employing over 30,000 people.

Knowledge Economy Context

• Importance of Knowledge: Central to contemporary economies, highlighting forms of knowledge such as aesthetic, cognitive, scientific, and discursive.

• Spatial Organization Impact: Knowledge economy influences the spatial distribution of production leading to uneven economic development.

Methodology to Understand Knowledge Community

• Inquiry Structure: The study focused on the geographical and operational dynamics of the British motor sport industry through literature review and interviews.

• Interview Process: Conducted 50 semi-structured interviews with key industry personnel, exploring both traded and untraded interdependencies.

Knowledge Transfer Mechanisms

• Staff Mobility: Regular movement of engineers and team members across companies promotes knowledge sharing and innovation (

  • Avg. moves: once every 3.7 years).

• Firm Dynamics: High turnover rates, with many new firms and firms shutting down, influence the competitive landscape.

Churning of Knowledge Within Community

• Knowledge Churning: Repeated transitions among personnel leads to collective enhancement of knowledge; new adaptations and ideas are integrated among teams.

• Supplier Relations: Component suppliers contribute to knowledge exchange, while boundaries of confidentiality exist yet blur through shared understanding of innovation.

Role of Culture and Network

• Cultural Significance: Social networks underpin the motor sport industry's functionality, where informal exchanges (gossip, observation) help disseminate knowledge.

• Discursive Processes: Shared beliefs and discourse around technologies shape industry practices, enhancing knowledge flow among communities.

Conclusions

• Regional Concentration as Competitive Advantage: The success of Motor Sport Valley is attributed to its tightly knit knowledge community, where shared knowledge and rapid innovations create a competitive environment.

• Political Economy Interaction: Knowledge production interlinks with power relations and political structures, influencing regulations and community dynamics within the industry.