Document generated on 09/28/2021 12:29 a.m. Management international International Management Gestiòn Internacional Urban Modes of Assemblage: The Changing Spaces of Innovation in Shanghai Modes d’assemblage urbains : la dynamique des espaces de l’innovation à Shanghai Modos de “montaje urbano”: la dinámica de los espacios de innovación en Shanghai Clément Renaud, Valerie Fernandez, Gilles Puel and Zhen Feng Le management public entre confiance et défiance Article abstract Public Management Between Trust and Distrust The present article considers the evolution of relationships between four Gestión pública entre la confianza y la desconfianza organizations located in Shanghai (two coworking spaces, a hackerspace and a Volume 23, Number 3, 2019 public network of spaces dedicated to education) between the years 2011 and 2015. We start by describing how Shanghai’s urban policies lead to the URI: https://id.erudit.org/iderudit/1062214ar development of vast real estate that failed at supporting smaller and less DOI: https://doi.org/10.7202/1062214ar formal initiatives. Drawing from previous research and fieldwork, we show how groups of individuals started to organize with the goal of defining new spaces for discussions and activities around technological innovation and See table of contents entrepreneurship. For each of the four organizations selected, we give a detailed account of their spatial and organizational developments over time, and how they relate to each other. We propose what we called “modes of Publisher(s) assemblage” to understand how discrete and partial associations between them helped to change Shanghai’s discourse and positioning about innovation, HEC Montréal prefiguring major national programs. Université Paris Dauphine ISSN 1206-1697 (print) 1918-9222 (digital) Explore this journal Cite this article Renaud, C., Fernandez, V., Puel, G. & Feng, Z. (2019). Urban Modes of Assemblage: The Changing Spaces of Innovation in Shanghai. Management international / International Management / Gestiòn Internacional, 23(3), 131–140. https://doi.org/10.7202/1062214ar Tous droits réservés © Management international / International Management This document is protected by copyright law. Use of the services of Érudit / Gestión Internacional, 2019 (including reproduction) is subject to its terms and conditions, which can be viewed online. https://apropos.erudit.org/en/users/policy-on-use/ This article is disseminated and preserved by Érudit. Érudit is a non-profit inter-university consortium of the Université de Montréal, Université Laval, and the Université du Québec à Montréal. Its mission is to promote and disseminate research. https://www.erudit.org/en/ Urban Modes of Assemblage: The Changing Spaces of Innovation in Shanghai Modes d’assemblage urbains : la dynamique des espaces de l’innovation à Shanghai Modos de “montaje urbano”: la dinámica de los espacios de innovación en Shanghai CLÉMENT RENAUD VALERIE FERNANDEZ GILLES PUEL ZHEN FENG Telecom ParisTech, UMR I3 Telecom ParisTech, UMR I3 University of Toulouse, LEREPS University of Nanjing ABSTRACT RÉSUMÉ RESUMEN The present article considers the evolution Cet article considère l'évolution des relations Este artículo analiza la evolución entre los of relationships between four organiza- entre quatre organisations situées à Shanghai años 2011 y 2015 de las relaciones entre tions located in Shanghai (two coworking (deux espaces de coworking, un hackerspace cuatro organizaciones radicadas en Shanghai spaces, a hackerspace and a public network et un réseau public d'espaces dédiés à l'édu- (dos espacios de coworking, un hackerspace of spaces dedicated to education) between the cation) entre les années 2011 et 2015. Nous y una red pública de espacios dedicados a years 2011 and 2015. We start by describing commençons par décrire comment les poli- la educación). Empezamos describiendo how Shanghai’s urban policies lead to the tiques urbaines de Shanghai conduisent au cómo condujeron las políticas urbanas de development of vast real estate that failed développement de vastes biens immobiliers Shanghai al desarrollo de grandes activos at supporting smaller and less formal ini- qui ont échoué à soutenir des initiatives plus inmobiliarios que no consiguieron apoyar tiatives. Drawing from previous research petites et moins formelles. En nous basant sur iniciativas más pequeñas y menos formales. and fieldwork, we show how groups of indi- des travaux de recherche et de terrain anté- Basándonos en nuestras investigaciones y viduals started to organize with the goal rieurs, nous montrons comment des groupes publicaciones anteriores, mostramos cómo of defining new spaces for discussions and de personnes ont commencé à s'organiser dans se han organizado grupos de personas para activities around technological innovation le but de définir de nouveaux espaces de dis- definir nuevos espacios de discusión y activi- and entrepreneurship. For each of the four cussion et d'activités autour de l'innovation dades en torno a la innovación tecnológica organizations selected, we give a detailed technologique et de l'entrepreneuriat. Pour y al espíritu empresarial. Para cada una de account of their spatial and organizational chacun des quatre organismes sélectionnés, las cuatro organizaciones seleccionadas, pre- developments over time, and how they relate nous donnons un compte rendu détaillé de sentamos en detalle su desarrollo espacial to each other. We propose what we called leurs développements spatiaux et organisa- y organizacional a lo largo del tiempo, y de “modes of assemblage” to understand how tionnels au fil du temps, et comment ils se rap- sus interrelaciones. Proponemos lo que lla- discrete and partial associations between portent les uns aux autres. Nous proposons ce mamos "modos de montaje" para entender them helped to change Shanghai’s discourse que nous appelons des « modes d'assemblage » cómo ha ayudado esta dinámica a cambiar (2018). Urban Modes of Assemblage: (2018). The Changing Spaces Urban Modes of Assemblage: (2018). The Changing Spaces and positioning about innovation, prefigur- pour comprendre comment cette dynamique el discurso y el posicionamiento de Shanghai Urban Modes of Assemblage: (2018). The Changing Spaces ing major national programs. a contribué à changer le discours et le posi- sobre la innovación, que ha prefigurado los Keywords: Shanghai, open innovation, tionnement de Shanghai sur l'innovation, grandes programas nacionales. assemblage, third places, makers, commu- préfigurant les grands programmes nationaux. Palabras Clave: Shanghai, innovación nities, urban development Mots-Clés : Shanghai, innovation ouverte, abierta, montaje, terceros lugares, makers, , 23(3), PB-140. PB-140. , 23(3), 131-140. , 23(3), assemblage, tiers lieux, makers, communau- comunidades, desarrollo urbano 131-140. , 23(3), tés, développement urbain he quick expansion of urban population has deeply trans- a very profitable real-estate model, but failed to bring forth a Tformed Shanghai’s urban landscape during the last decades. network of individuals and small companies that would support Since the 1990s, the city has turn into a major instrument for the growth of a local industry in the creative sector. Yet outside China’s renewal program under the lead of its ex-mayor Jiang the walls of these office buildings, smaller groups of local and Management international Management international Zemin then president of the country (Sanjuan, 2001). Welcoming foreign actors gathered in new urban spaces to reflect on practices Management international Renaud, C.; Fernandez, Puel, V.; G. & Feng, Z. Renaud, C.; Fernandez, Puel, V.; G. & Feng, Z. Renaud, C.; Fernandez, Puel, V.; G. & Feng, Z. international trends, it seeks to become a top destination for new of technologies, culture, and entrepreneurship through “shar- industrial trends and creative industries in particular. Following ing” and “making”. Influenced by similar experiments in North global examples of the so-called cluster policy, the city government America and Europe, these organizations helped to identify and started in 2005 building and restoring large office spaces to house establish local domains of expertise, becoming references for young companies that were to become the future jewels in the innovators across China (Lindtner, 2015). Local public policies city’s crown (Keane, 2013). After two decades of these policies, came to recognize these trends and eventually give birth to a Pour citer cet article : of Innovation in Shanghai. Pour citer cet article : of Innovation in Shanghai. the results are mixed. These gigantic buildings developed into larger network of similar or inspired spaces. Pour citer cet article : of Innovation in Shanghai. 132 Management international / International Management / Gestión Internacional Previous works have provided a detailed account of the initial stone of China’s soft power internationally. In 2004, the city creation of these spaces and shown how these communities have of Shanghai started to set up vast infrastructures to support come to recognized themselves and being recognized as important the development of a creative sector, placing at its center the stakeholder in China’s industrial future (Lindtner, 2014). Drawing creation of Creative Industry Clusters (CIC)1. The Shanghai from these results, the present article brings light on organizational municipal government tasked CICs with bringing together events and processes that were instrumental in the creation of companies in the cultural sector