Turning the tide: prospects for an industrial renaissance in the North Staffordshire ceramics industrial district

Abstract

Drawing upon the evolutionary geography literature, we analyse how the North Staffordshire ceramics industrial district has begun to reverse a phase of 'long decline ' (1979-2008). Our analysis is based upon a series of interviews with 25 Senior Managers from within the district. We document how the district has purposively begun to exploit its traditional strengths, with firms adopting new strategies, technologies and attitudes to governance (and collaboration) in response to exogenous challenges, thus raising the prospect of an 'industrial renaissance'. The case demonstrates decline in old industrial regions is not inevitable and through 'adaptation', new trajectories are possible.