ABSTRACT
The concept of clusters has risen to prominence and general acceptance by policy makers at almost all levels of government in a remarkably short space of time. The main attraction seems to be an apparent ability to link the micro-economic requirements of individual firms with both macro-economic policy and the different spatial levels where these economic activities take place. As a result many policy makers at both central and regional or local levels of government have been seduced by the apparent intellectual coherence that provides them with practical levers to enable and facilitate the activities of private firms thereby enhancing the average competitiveness of their particular localities.
