This book brings together a collection of applied studies covering attempts to develop clusters
in a range of industry sectors in a number of different countries. Despite the variety of
examples presented, strong common themes are found across these papers. There is common
agreement as to what constitutes a cluster, what the benefits expected from cooperation
are, what the objectives of intervention are, and even of the type of barriers encountered
by cluster programs. The objective of this book was to counter-position studies of cluster
formation from authors with various discipline backgrounds in order to observe the different
approaches used. This has been achieved, with economists taking a more theoretical,
conceptual approach which provides the basis on which other disciplines have developed.
Management studies focus more on how clusters can be encouraged and made to function
effectively, the governance issue. Marketing studies emphasise ‘branding’, or how each
cluster can achieve a distinct identity among its competitors based on what it does most
effectively. Information technology studies, on the other hand, return to basic concepts
of cost efficiency, and unlike the other three disciplines represented here, use an a-spatial
concept of networks rather than the spatial concept of clusters.