Three years after the introduction of the course Microeconomic of Competitiveness (MOC) at Ruhr-Universität Bochum, a team of RUB students won the prestigious competition of more than 100 universities within the worldwide MOC network for the best cluster case study. Themba Nyasulu from the doctoral program International Development Studies, Marvin Bergner from the M.Sc. programme in Management and Economics and Timo Berens and Jan von der Linde from the M.Sc. programme in Geography convinced the jury with their case study to the Frankfurt financial services cluster and outperformed high-profile international competitors. Thanks to generous support form RUB Research School PLUS, three students were able to travel to Boston to receive their award in person from the famous management Professor Michael E. Porter on 9 December, 2016.
In their award-winning case study, the four students analysed the competitiveness of the Frankfurt financial services cluster. They not only investigated the origin and development of this cluster, but also applied typical MOC concepts, such as cluster organization diagrams or Porter's diamond model, to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the business environment. Taking recent challenges such as the financial and economic crisis, the emergence of new internet-based business models (financial technology or 'fintechs'), or Brexit into account, their SWOT analysis also allowed the authors to come up with recommendations for strengthening the cluster's competitiveness.
On their trip to Boston, the students were accompanied by MOC instructors Prof Matthias Kiese and Dr Christian Hundt from the Chair of Urban and Regional Economics at the Institute of Geography at RUB. Besides attending their annual training and update on the course, both faculty members also presented results of their research at the workshop. Prof Kiese addressed the question of how competitive procedures for granting subsidies have been implemented as part of the European Union's cohesion policy in North Rhine-Westphalia during the 2007-2013 funding period. Dr Hundt presented an analysis of the determinants of employment growth in firms at the company and regional level during times of macroeconomic stability and crisis. Both speakers also discussed another conference contribution, respectively.
MOC explores the determinants of economic development from a microeconomic perspective, putting firms centre stage. The course is entirely based on case studies investigating the sources of competitiveness at the levels of firms, clusters and territorial entities ranging from supra-national regions via nations and sub-regional nations to cities. It is free from mathematical formulas and abstract modelling.
While the fifth MOC class at RUB started working on their case studies to defend the title for RUB in 2017, interested graduate students at Master and PhD level across all disciplines can already sign up for MOC in the summer term of 2017. As usual, the course will take ever Monday afternoon between 14.15 and 16.45 hrs, starting on April 24th, 2017. Registrations with name, programme, number of semesters and matriculation number can be sent to matthias.kiese@rub.de until February 28th, 2017. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis.
Further information on MOC at HBS and RUB is available at: http://www.isc.hbs.edu/resources/courses/moc-course-at-harvard/Pages/default.aspx https://www.geographie.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/arbeitsbereiche/stadt-und-regionaloekonomie/microeconomics-of-competitiveness
Bochum, December 14th, 2016 Prof Dr Matthias Kiese
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until February 28th, 2017. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis.
Further information on MOC at HBS and RUB is available at: 