A Study on the Regional Innovation in an Industrial Cluster : Focusing on a Traditional Textile Industry of Nishijin Area

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Fabric from Nishijin occupies a significant position in traditional Japanese culture and it holds a large industrial share in Kyoto City. This paper examines the regional “hollowing out” that has caused a decline in the industries surrounding Nishijin, as well as social changes, including building deterioration and regional economic stagnation and to suggest policies for regional innovation. The direction of political responses to this situation is also considered. To understand the uniqueness of Nishijin fabric and the potential that has accumulated over the process of industrial development, the structural change of Nishijin industry was investigated using statistical data from the “Nishijin Industry Survey Summary (2005, 2011).” The change in the cluster degree was also examined using Kyoto City Industry Statistics and the specialization coefficient. The implications of this study can be summarized as follows. First, the hollowing out of the manufacturing industry and regional stagnation in Nishijin can be attributed to diminished trust within the community following outsourcing and cost transfers to small Hataori. It is recommended that a new collaborative relationship be established where diverse interested parties participate from the beginning of production based on the concept of co-creation. Second, while textile manufacturing-related industries in Kyoto City are declining overall, Nishijin has experienced a relatively mild decrease, resulting in a cluster with a relatively higher degree of textile manufacturing. As long as Japanese society exists, there will be a demand for a traditional clothing. Therefore, industries should recover to bring new investment and regional innovation through reshoring. Third, a specialization coefficient analysis indicated that there exist irreplaceable products, such as materials manually woven by master craftspeople and finest quality fabricated thread.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• Abstract
• 1. Introduction
• 2. Characteristics and Implications of the Nishijin textile Industry
• 2.1. Regional Structure and Growth into a Modern City
• 2.2. Characteristics of the Nishijin Textile Industry and the Process of Changing the Structure of the Regional Cluster Structure
• 3. Decline of Nishijin Textile Manufacturing and Its Implications
• 3.1. The Textile Manufacturing Trend in Nishijin
• 3.2. Regional Problems Following the Decline in Fabric Production
• 4. Analysis of the Textile Manufacturing Cluster in Nishijin using the Specialization Coefficient
• 5. Implications and Policy Suggestions
• 6. Conclusion
• Acknowledgments
• References