‘May the ovens never grow cold’: regional resilience and industrial policy in the North Staffordshire ceramics industrial district – with lessons from Sassoulo and Castellon

Abstract

In the aftermath of the recent global recession, the concept of regional resilience is becoming increasingly important in regional policy circles. This paper seeks to add to the debate by exploring resilience and recent policy initiatives in the context of the North Staffordshire ceramics district. A key issue here has been the economic governance of the district, which has had a significant impact upon its current trajectory. Drawing upon a series of interviews with local actors, we examine the district's ‘adaptive capacity’ to move onto a new trajectory. In particular, we note the importance of district firms developing wider networking opportunities, particularly external ties; insights here are garnered from the relatively successful links between Castellon and Sassoulo ceramics districts.