Cluster policy in developing countries

Benner, Maximilian (2013): Cluster policy in developing countries.

Abstract

After it has been discovered as a vehicle of economic policy in industrialized countries at the beginning of the 1990s, cluster policy has attracted the attention of development policy. Indeed, the case for using cluster policies to promote economic development is in principle not confined to the context of industrialized countries. As cluster policies necessarily have to be specifically tailored to each individual case, it should come as no surprise that their use in developing countries will always differ from their use in industrialized ones. Surely, individual cluster policies in developing contries, too, will differ from each other. Still, some general approaches that respond to typical framework conditions in developing countries can be discerned. This article elaborates some of them and suggests ways to promote clusters on the regional and local levels in developing countries.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: clusters, cluster policy, regional policy, development policy, development cooperation
• Subjects: R - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics > R5 - Regional Government Analysis > R58 - Regional Development Planning and Policy; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O2 - Development Planning and Policy > O25 - Industrial Policy; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O1 - Economic Development > O10 - General; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O2 - Development Planning and Policy > O20 - General; F - International Economics > F6 - Economic Impacts of Globalization > F63 - Economic Development

References

Altenburg, T. (2000): Vom Niedriglohnstandort zum wissensbasierten Cluster? Chancen für technologische Anschlussstrategien in Entwicklungsländern. (From low-cost location to knowledge-based cluster? Chances for technological successor strategies in developing countries) In: Blotevogel, H. H., Oßenbrügge, J., Wood, G. (eds): Lokal verankert – weltweit vernetzt: Tagungsbericht und wissenschaftliche Abhandlungen: 52. Deutscher Geographentag Hamburg. (Locally Embedded – Globally Linked: Conference Report and Scientific Treatises: 52th German Conference of Geographers Hamburg) Stuffgart: Steiner: 333-340.

Altenburg, T. (2003): Welche Chancen haben Entwicklungsländer im globalen Innovationswettbewerb? (What chances for developing countries in global innovation competition?) In: Zeitschrift für Wirtschaftsgeographie, 47: 67-81.

Altenburg, T., Meyer-Stamer, J. (1999): How to promote clusters: policy experiences from Latin America. In: World Development, 27: 1693-1713.

Andersson, T., Schwaag Serger, S., Sörvik, J., Hansson, E. W. (2004): The Cluster Policies Whitebook. Malmö: IKED.

Benner, M. (2009): What do we know about clusters? In search of effective cluster policies. SPACES 2009-4. Toronto, Heidelberg: University of Toronto, University of Heidelberg, http://www.spaces-online.uni-hd.de/include/SPACES_2009-04_Benner.pdf (15.04.2012).

Benner, M. (2012a): Clusterpolitik: Wege zur Verknüpfung von Theorie und politischer Umsetzung: Modellanhang A: Tabellen zum Modell der Clusterpolitik für die regionale und lokale Ebene. (Cluster Policy: Ways to Link Theory and Political Implementation: Model Annex A: Comment of the Model for Cluster Policy for the Regional and Local Level) http://www.geog.uni-heidelberg.de/md/chemgeo/geog/forschung/wiso_clusterpolitik_modellanhang_a.pdf (15.04.2012).

Benner, M. (2012b): Clusterpolitik: Wege zur Verknüpfung von Theorie und politischer Umsetzung: Modellanhang B: Erläuterung zu den Tabellen zum Modell der Clusterpolitik für die regionale und lokale Ebene. (Cluster Policy: Ways to Link Theory and Political Implementation: Model Annex B: Description to the Tables of the Model for Cluster Policy for the Regional and Local Level) http://www.geog.uni-heidelberg.de/md/chemgeo/geog/forschung/wiso_clusterpolitik_modellanhang_b.pdf (15.04.2012).

Benner, M. (2012c): Clusterpolitik: Wege zur Verknüpfung von Theorie und politischer Umsetzung. (Cluster Policy: Ways to Link Theory and Political Implementation) Münster: LIT.

Benner, M. (2012d): Cluster policy: Principles and a Toolbox. SPACES online, Vol. 10, Issue 2012-01. Toronto and Heidelberg: http://www.spaces-online.uni-hd.de/include/2012-01_Benner.pdf (09.01.2013).

Benner, M. (2012e): Clusterwettbewerbe: Eine Option für Entwicklungsländer? (Cluster competitions: An option for developing countries?) MPRA Paper No. 40743, http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/40743/1/MPRA_paper_40743.pdf (16.10.2012).

Benner, M. (2013): Towards a policy to promote tourism clusters. MPRA Paper No. 43924, http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/43924/1/MPRA_paper_43924.pdf (22.01.2013).

Ceglie, G., Clara, M., Dini, M. (1999): Cluster and network development projects in developing countries: lessons learned through the UNIDO experience. In: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (ed): Boosting Innovation: The Cluster Approach. Paris: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development: 269-289.

Coleman, J. S. (1988): Social capital in the creation of human capital. In: American Journal of Sociology, 94: S95-S120.

Dohse, D. (2000): Technology policy and the regions – the case of the BioRegio contest. In: Research Policy, 29: 1111-1133.

Dohse, D. (2003): Taking regions seriously: recent innovations in German technology policy. In: Bröcker, J., Dohse, D., Soltwedel, R. (eds): Innovation Clusters and Interregional Competition. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer: 372-394.

Dohse, D. (2007): Cluster-based technology policy: the German experience. In: Industry and Innovation, 14: 69-94.

Enright, M. J. (2000): The globalization of competition and the localization of competitive advantage: policies toward regional clustering. In: Hood, N., Young, S. (eds): The Globalization of Multinational Enterprise Activity and Economic Development. London: Macmillan: 303-331.

Enright, M. J. (2003): Regional clusters: what we know and what we should know. In: Bröcker, J., Dohse, D., Soltwedel, R. (eds): Innovation Clusters and Interregional Competition. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer: 99-129.

Esser, K., Hillebrand, W., Messner, D., Meyer-Stamer, J. (1996): Systemic Competitiveness: New Governance Patterns for Industrial Development. London: Frank Cass.

Ketels, C. H. M., Lindqvist, G., Sölvell, Ö. (2006): Cluster Initiatives in Developing and Transition Economies. Stockholm: Center for Strategy and Competitiveness.

Kiese, M. (2008): Stand und Perspektiven der regionalen Clusterforschung. (State and perspectives of regional cluster research) In: Kiese, M., Schätzl, L. (eds): Cluster und Regionalentwicklung: Theorie, Beratung und praktische Umsetzung. (Clusters and Regional Development: Theory, Consulting, and Practical Implementation) Dortmund: Dorothea Rohn: 9-50.

Lundvall, B.- Å. (1988): Innovation as an interactive process: from user-producer interaction to the national system of innovation. In: Dosi, G., Freeman, C., Silverberg, G., Soete, L. (eds): Technical Change and Economic Theory. London: Pinter: 349-369.

Meyer-Stamer, J. (2006): Lokale Wirtschaftsförderung in Entwicklungs- und Transformationsländern – Vom Wissens- und Methodentransfer zum strukturierten Lernen. (Local economic promotion in developing and transformation countries – from knowledge and method transfer towards structures learning) In: Gärtner, S., Terstriep, J., Widmaier, B. (eds): Wirtschaftsförderung im Umbruch (Economic Promotion in Transition). Munich, Mering: Rainer Hampp: 221-239.

Porter, M. E. (1990): The Competitive Advantage of Nations. Reprint 1998. New York: Free Press.

Porter, M. E. (1998a): Clusters and competition: new agendas for companies, governments, and institutions. In: Porter, M. E. (ed): On Competition. Boston: Harvard Business School Press: 197-287.

Porter, M. E. (1998b): Clusters and the new economics of competition. In: Harvard Business Review, 76: 77-90.

Porter, M. E. (2000): Location, competition and economic development: local clusters in the global economy. In: Economic Development Quarterly, 14: 15-34.

Putnam, R. D. (1993): The prosperous community: social capital and public life. In: American Prospect, 4: 35-42, http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/DETOC/assoc/13putn.html (28.03.2011).

Putnam, R. D. (1995): Bowling alone: America's declining social capital. In: Journal of Democracy 6: 65-78.

Rauch, T. (2009): Entwicklungspolitik: Theorien, Strategien, Instrumente (Development Policy: Theories, Strategies, Instruments). Das Geographische Seminar. Braunschweig: Westermann.

Schmitz, H., Nadvi, K. (1999): Clustering and industrialization: introduction. In: World Development, 27: 1503-1514.

Scholz, F. (2004): Geographische Entwicklungsforschung: Methoden und Theorien. (Geographical Development Studies: Methods and Theories) Stuttgart: Gebrüder Bornträger Verlagsbuchhandlung.

The World Bank (2009): Clusters for Competitiveness: A Practical Guide & Policy Implications for Developing Cluster Initiatives. Washington, D.C.: The World Bank, International Trade Department.

UNIDO (2001): Development of Clusters and Networks of SMEs: The UNIDO Programme. Vienna: United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Private Sector Branch, Investment Promotion and Institutional Capacity Building Division.

UNIDO (n.d.): UNIDO Service Portfolio: Clusters & Business Linkages Development, Export Consortia, Business Ethics & CSR, Business Partnerships. Vienna: United Nations Industrial Development Organization.