ABSTRACT

This volume shows that in today’s globalized world, clusters are an important factor in explaining the different growth rates of firms, cities and regions. Drawing on the expertise of an international contributor team, it covers topics such as clusters and small and medium-sized enterprise competitiveness, innovation and science parks, clusters and multinationals, and information and communication technology clusters. It reveals great diversity in terms of the origin of clusters, the organizational relationships at play, and the characteristics of the firms involved. Taking lessons from a rich variety of literature and empirical cases, the book provides valuable insights for regional development and industrial policy.

Economic Clusters and Globalization will be of interest to scholars and policymakers in economic geography, regional studies, entrepreneurship and international business.

part I|109 pages

Cluster network advantage and organizational relationships

chapter 1|24 pages

Agglomerations, clusters and industrial districts

Evolution and opportunities for future research

chapter 2|21 pages

Polish clusters

The impact of intra-cluster cooperation facilitated by cluster organizations on SMEs’ competitiveness

chapter 3|28 pages

Sitting in the dock of the industrial district

The role of supporting organizations in the transmission of information and knowledge

chapter 5|13 pages

Spin-offs and clusters

An application to the information technology sector in Brazil and Spain

part II|87 pages

Clusters and internationalization

chapter 8|18 pages

The emergence of a compatriot agglomeration

A multiple case study of FDI location decision-making

chapter 9|14 pages

Multinationals and entrepreneurship

The case of Indian IT services clusters