Correspondence: Martin J. Bliemel, Segal Graduate School of Business, Room V255, Simon Fraser University, 500 Granville St., Vancouver, BC, Canada. Tel: +1 778 782 7738; Fax: + 1 778 782 5122; E-mail: mbliemel@sfu.ca

¹is a PhD candidate at Simon Fraser University, and advisor for the director general of the Colombian Institute for the Development of Science and Technology (Colciencias). She has a BSc in Economics from Rosario University (Bogota, Colombia) and an MSc in Technical Change and Industrial Strategy from PREST at the University of Manchester, UK. She has worked for Colciencias and the Colombian Department of National Planning. In recent years, she has been a university instructor and has worked as a consultant for international organisations, such as the Iberoamerican Network of Science and Technology Indicators (RICyT). Her research interests are in science, technology and innovation policy, innovation systems, innovation indicators, science, technology and society (STS) studies, and the knowledge society.

²is a PhD candidate in Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the Segal Graduate School of Business, Simon Fraser University at Vancouver, Canada. He also holds a BSc in Mechanical Engineering and MBA, both from Queen's University at Kingston, Canada. Martin is interested in how high-tech entrepreneurs build and use their social networks while developing their new ventures. He has presented his work at conferences such as Academy of Management, West Coast Research Symposium, and Administrative Sciences Association of Canada, and has also participated in international workshops such as EUDOKMA and Max Planck Summer Institute.

³is an adjunct professor and Associate Director of the Centre for Policy Research on Science and Technology (CPROST) at Simon Fraser University. He trained as a physicist and electrical engineer, and is a registered professional engineer in the provinces of Ontario and BC. He moved to Simon Fraser University to join CPROST in 1995 after gaining experience over a number of years with Telesat Canada, the federal government of Canada, the Ministry of State for Science and Technology (MOSST), and latterly Industry Canada. His research activities centre on the analysis of science, technology, and innovation activities in both the public and private sector. He is a member of the management committee of the national Innovation Systems Research Network. He has published extensively in academic journals and has edited three books on regional innovation systems in Canada and has carried out teaching and consulting activities in S&T and innovation policy for several international development agencies.

Received 15 April 2008; Revised 15 April 2008; Published online 3 June 2008.

Abstract

The basis of this paper is to go beyond abstract definitions of what a cluster is, and look at a variety of measurable indicators, to see which can demonstrate the presence of a cluster. The example presented is based on the biotechnology industry in Vancouver, Canada. Biotechnology differs from conventional industries, in that there are few tangible goods or services traded, but rather the basis of value creation is primarily the sale or licensing of intangible intellectual property or the (usually pre-revenue) firms themselves. The two main questions we aim to test are (i) is there a biotechnology cluster in Vancouver, and (ii) what are its inputs, outcomes, and impact on the region? We use data provided from local and federal agencies such as LifeSciences British Columbia and Statistics Canada to compare biotechnology R&D activity across regions, and within the local economy. Our findings indicate that there is significant activity around biotechnology R&D and commercialisation in Vancouver, but no guarantee of the longevity of the innovation system.