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The Challenges of Pursuing Cluster Policy in the Congested State

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  • ALEX BURFITT
  • STEWART MACNEILL

Abstract

In recent years cluster policy has become a central component of regional economic development strategy across many European economies. However, concerns are now emerging over the content and quality of some of these initiatives. Given the prevalence of the approach, these apprehensions are non‐trivial and have significant implications with regard to the value and contribution of regional economic development. Here we examine the extent to which weaknesses in the theoretical and methodological underpinnings of the cluster approach may have acted in combination with pressures generated by the ‘congested state’ to produce a number of difficulties. The essay explores the nature, challenges and weaknesses of cluster policy in the context of the demands created by multi‐level and multi‐actor governance frameworks. We conclude that, irrespective of whether cluster policy is the appropriate choice as an economic development tool in any particular regional or economic circumstance, its selection always necessitates prior consideration of the institutional capacity needed to meet the governance challenges that it creates. Resumé La ‘politique des clusters’ est récemment devenue une composante essentielle de la stratégie de développement économique régional dans de nombreux pays d’Europe. Toutefois, des questions se posent actuellement quant à la teneur et à la qualité de certaines de ces initiatives. L’approche étant souvent adoptée, ces appréhensions, dignes d’intérêt, ont d’importantes répercussions sur la valeur et la contribution du développement économique régional. Cette étude examine dans quelle mesure les faiblesses des bases théoriques et méthodologiques de l’approche des ‘clusters’, combinées aux pressions imposées par un « Etat congestionné », peuvent avoir généré plusieurs difficultés. Sont explorés la nature, les défis et les faiblesses de la politique des clusters dans le cadre des exigences suscitées par un environnement de gouvernance à plusieurs niveaux impliquant plusieurs acteurs. En conclusion, que la politique des clusters soit ou non l’option à choisir en tant qu’outil d’expansion économique dans une situation régionale ou économique donnée, son choix exige toujours une étude préalable de la capacité institutionnelle nécessaire pour résoudre les problèmes de gouvernance qu’il crée.

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  • Alex Burfitt & Stewart Macneill, 2008. "The Challenges of Pursuing Cluster Policy in the Congested State," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(2), pages 492-505, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ijurrs:v:32:y:2008:i:2:p:492-505
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2427.2008.00784.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Charles H. Davis, 2011. "Media Industry Clusters and Public Policy," Chapters, in: Charlie Karlsson & Robert G. Picard (ed.), Media Clusters, chapter 4, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    2. Michael M. Nielsen & Pontus Hennerdal, 2014. "MAUPing Workplace Clusters," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(2), pages 211-221, June.
    3. Karlsson, Charlie & Rouchy, Philippe, 2013. "Media clusters and metropolitan knowledge economy," Working Paper Series in Economics and Institutions of Innovation 328, Royal Institute of Technology, CESIS - Centre of Excellence for Science and Innovation Studies.
    4. Ansgar Dorenkamp & Ivo Mossig, 2010. "Economic Policy and its Impact on the Evolution of Clusters and Spatial Systems Exemplified by German TV Programme Production," Chapters, in: Dirk Fornahl & Sebastian Henn & Max-Peter Menzel (ed.), Emerging Clusters, chapter 3, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    5. Jianyi Li & Douglas Webster & Jianming Cai & Larissa Muller, 2019. "Innovation Clusters Revisited: On Dimensions of Agglomeration, Institution, and Built-Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-15, June.
    6. Miranda Ebbekink, 2017. "Cluster governance: A practical way out of a congested state of governance plurality," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 35(4), pages 621-639, June.
    7. Kwiatkowski Tomasz & Micek Grzegorz & Łapczyński Mariusz, 2023. "Perceived Social Capital and Institutional Environment‘s Impact On the Success of Regional Cluster Policies," Central European Economic Journal, Sciendo, vol. 10(57), pages 198-218, January.
    8. Charlie Karlsson & Robert G. Picard, 2011. "The Challenges of Media Clusters," Chapters, in: Charlie Karlsson & Robert G. Picard (ed.), Media Clusters, chapter 16, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    9. Sotarauta Markku, 2016. "Place leadership, governance and power," Administration, Sciendo, vol. 64(3-4), pages 45-58, December.
    10. Grashof, Nils, 2020. "Putting the watering can away Towards a targeted (problem-oriented) cluster policy framework," Papers in Innovation Studies 2020/4, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    11. Gill Bentley & Lee Pugalis, 2014. "Shifting paradigms: People-centred models, active regional development, space-blind policies and place-based approaches," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 29(4-5), pages 283-294, June.
    12. Charlie Karlsson & Robert G. Picard (ed.), 2011. "Media Clusters," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 14396.
    13. Grashof, Nils, 2021. "Putting the watering can away –Towards a targeted (problem-oriented) cluster policy framework," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(9).

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