IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/respol/v40y2011i9p1280-1294.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Self-organization of industrial clustering in a transition economy: A proposed framework and case study evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • He, Zheng
  • Rayman-Bacchus, Lez
  • Wu, Yiming

Abstract

The evolution of the industrial cluster has long been a comparatively difficult problem due to its complexity and the differing particularities of individual clusters. Based on a study of two clusters, this paper draws some logic and ideas from complexity theory and develops a generic framework to explain cluster self-organization. We present the cluster as a complex adaptive system (CAS) that experiences self-organization through four critical features: landscape design, positive feedback, boundary constraints, and novel outcomes. We then use this framework to analyze two clusters from the ICT sector within China's transitional economy. Finally, the paper draws out a few implications for our understanding of cluster development processes. In particular, we stress the importance of both path-dependence (due to initial conditions) and the unpredictability of developmental paths (due to the uniqueness of each cluster).

Suggested Citation

  • He, Zheng & Rayman-Bacchus, Lez & Wu, Yiming, 2011. "Self-organization of industrial clustering in a transition economy: A proposed framework and case study evidence from China," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(9), pages 1280-1294.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:respol:v:40:y:2011:i:9:p:1280-1294
    DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2011.07.008
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048733311001582
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.respol.2011.07.008?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tan, Justin, 2006. "Growth of industry clusters and innovation: Lessons from Beijing Zhongguancun Science Park," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 21(6), pages 827-850, November.
    2. Ron Martin & Peter Sunley, 2010. "Complexity Thinking and Evolutionary Economic Geography," Chapters, in: Ron Boschma & Ron Martin (ed.), The Handbook of Evolutionary Economic Geography, chapter 4, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    3. John Foster, 2000. "Competitive selection, self-organisation and Joseph A. Schumpeter," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 10(3), pages 311-328.
    4. Elaine Romanelli & Olga M. Khessina, 2005. "Regional Industrial Identity: Cluster Configurations and Economic Development," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 16(4), pages 344-358, August.
    5. Kurt Dopfer & Jason Potts, 2004. "Evolutionary realism: a new ontology for economics," Journal of Economic Methodology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(2), pages 195-212.
    6. Jan Fagerberg, 2003. "Schumpeter and the revival of evolutionary economics: an appraisal of the literature," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 13(2), pages 125-159, April.
    7. Fleming, Lee & Sorenson, Olav, 2001. "Technology as a complex adaptive system: evidence from patent data," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(7), pages 1019-1039, August.
    8. J. Stan Metcalfe & John Foster & Ronnie Ramlogan, 2006. "Adaptive economic growth," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 30(1), pages 7-32, January.
    9. Michael E. Porter, 2000. "Location, Competition, and Economic Development: Local Clusters in a Global Economy," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 14(1), pages 15-34, February.
    10. Bjørn Asheim & Lars Coenen, 2006. "Contextualising Regional Innovation Systems in a Globalising Learning Economy: On Knowledge Bases and Institutional Frameworks," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 31(1), pages 163-173, January.
    11. Ron Boschma & Ron Martin, 2007. "Editorial: Constructing an evolutionary economic geography," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 7(5), pages 537-548, September.
    12. Valerie Lindsay, 2005. "The Development of International Industry Clusters: A Complexity Theory Approach," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 71-97, January.
    13. Canfei He, 2002. "Information costs, agglomeration economies and the location of foreign direct investment in China1," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(9), pages 1029-1036.
    14. David F. Batten, 2001. "Complex landscapes of spatial interaction," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 35(1), pages 81-111.
    15. John Foster, 2006. "Why Is Economics Not a Complex Systems Science?," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(4), pages 1069-1091, December.
    16. Krugman, Paul, 1994. "Complex Landscapes in Economic Geography," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 84(2), pages 412-416, May.
    17. Steinle, Claus & Schiele, Holger, 2002. "When do industries cluster?: A proposal on how to assess an industry's propensity to concentrate at a single region or nation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(6), pages 849-858, August.
    18. Hurwicz, Leonid, 1973. "The Design of Mechanisms for Resource Allocation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 63(2), pages 1-30, May.
    19. Fulvio Castellacci, 2006. "A critical realist interpretation of evolutionary growth theorising," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 30(6), pages 861-880, November.
    20. Ron Martin & Peter Sunley, 2006. "Path dependence and regional economic evolution," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 6(4), pages 395-437, August.
    21. Elizabeth Garnsey, 1998. "The Genesis of the High Technology Milieu: A Study in Complexity," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(3), pages 361-377, September.
    22. Andrew M. Pettigrew, 1990. "Longitudinal Field Research on Change: Theory and Practice," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 1(3), pages 267-292, August.
    23. Steven Manson & David O'Sullivan, 2006. "Complexity Theory in the Study of Space and Place," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 38(4), pages 677-692, April.
    24. Lars Coenen & Jerker Moodysson & Camille Ryan & Bjørn Asheim & Peter Phillips, 2006. "Comparing a Pharmaceutical and an Agro-food Bioregion: On the Importance of Knowledge Bases for Socio-spatial Patterns of Innovation," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(4), pages 393-414.
    25. Ulrich Witt, 2003. "The Evolving Economy," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 2477.
    26. Sammut-Bonnici, Tanya & Wensley, Robin, 2002. "Darwinism, probability and complexity: market- based organizational transformation and change explained through the theories of evolution," MPRA Paper 50979, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    27. Steven Klepper, 2007. "Disagreements, Spinoffs, and the Evolution of Detroit as the Capital of the U.S. Automobile Industry," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 53(4), pages 616-631, April.
    28. R. A. Thiétart & B. Forgues, 1995. "Chaos Theory and Organization," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 6(1), pages 19-31, February.
    29. Philip Cooke & Loet Leydesdorff, 2006. "Regional Development in the Knowledge-Based Economy: The Construction of Advantage," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 31(1), pages 5-15, January.
    30. Max-Peter Menzel & Dirk Fornahl, 2007. "Cluster Life Cycles - Dimensions and Rationales of Cluster Development," Jena Economics Research Papers 2007-076, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena.
    31. Daniel A. Levinthal & Massimo Warglien, 1999. "Landscape Design: Designing for Local Action in Complex Worlds," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 10(3), pages 342-357, June.
    32. Chun Yang, 2007. "Divergent Hybrid Capitalisms in China: Hong Kong and Taiwanese Electronics Clusters in Dongguan," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 83(4), pages 395-420, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Peng Wang & Xiaoyan Lin & Dajun Dai, 2017. "Spatiotemporal Agglomeration of Real-Estate Industry in Guangzhou, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-15, August.
    2. Qingling Shi & Xiangzheng Deng & Chenchen Shi & Shiyi Chen, 2015. "Exploration of the Intersectoral Relations Based on Input-Output Tables in the Inland River Basin of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-18, April.
    3. Fang Wei & Xiao Limin, 2018. "Simulation of Knowledge Transfer Process Model Between Universities: A Perspective of Cluster Innovation Network," Complexity, Hindawi, vol. 2018, pages 1-13, December.
    4. Kristina Grumadaitė & Giedrius Jucevičius, 2022. "Strategic Approaches to the Development of Complex Organisational Ecosystems: The Case of Lithuanian Clusters," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-13, November.
    5. Corral de Zubielqui Graciela & Statsenko Larissa & Jones Janice, 2016. "Managing Innovation Networks for Knowledge Mobility and Appropriability: A Complexity Perspective," Entrepreneurship Research Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 6(1), pages 75-109, January.
    6. Vlaisavljevic, Vesna & Medina, Carmen Cabello & Van Looy, Bart, 2020. "The role of policies and the contribution of cluster agency in the development of biotech open innovation ecosystem," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    7. Grumadaitė Kristina & Jucevičius Giedrius, 2017. "Preconditions for Emergence of Lithuanian Clusters: from Informal Cooperation to Its Legitimation," Management of Organizations: Systematic Research, Sciendo, vol. 77(1), pages 37-56, June.
    8. Cha, Hongryol, 2020. "A paradigm shift in the global strategy of MNEs towards business ecosystems: A research agenda for new theory development," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 26(3).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ron Martin & Peter Sunley, 2010. "Complexity Thinking and Evolutionary Economic Geography," Chapters, in: Ron Boschma & Ron Martin (ed.), The Handbook of Evolutionary Economic Geography, chapter 4, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    2. Ron Boschma & Ron Martin, 2010. "The Aims and Scope of Evolutionary Economic Geography," Chapters, in: Ron Boschma & Ron Martin (ed.), The Handbook of Evolutionary Economic Geography, chapter 1, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    3. Ron Martin, 2010. "Roepke Lecture in Economic Geography—Rethinking Regional Path Dependence: Beyond Lock-in to Evolution," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 86(1), pages 1-27, January.
    4. Ron Martin & Peter Sunley, 2010. "The Place of Path Dependence in an Evolutionary Perspective on the Economic Landscape," Chapters, in: Ron Boschma & Ron Martin (ed.), The Handbook of Evolutionary Economic Geography, chapter 3, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    5. Ron Martin & Peter Sunley, 2015. "Towards a Developmental Turn in Evolutionary Economic Geography?," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(5), pages 712-732, May.
    6. Martin, Ron & Sunley, Peter, 2012. "Forms of emergence and the evolution of economic landscapes," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 82(2), pages 338-351.
    7. Kurt Dopfer, 2012. "The origins of meso economics," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 133-160, January.
    8. Giulio Carli & Andrea Morrison, 2018. "On the evolution of the Castel Goffredo hosiery cluster: a life cycle perspective," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(5), pages 915-932, May.
    9. Danny MacKinnon & Andrew Cumbers & Andy Pike & Kean Birch & Robert McMaster, 2009. "Evolution in Economic Geography: Institutions, Political Economy, and Adaptation," Economic Geography, Clark University, vol. 85(2), pages 129-150, April.
    10. Udo Staber, 2010. "A Social-Evolutionary Perspective on Regional Clusters," Chapters, in: Ron Boschma & Ron Martin (ed.), The Handbook of Evolutionary Economic Geography, chapter 10, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    11. Wang, Liang & Tan, Justin & Li, Wan, 2018. "The impacts of spatial positioning on regional new venture creation and firm mortality over the industry life cycle," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 41-52.
    12. Ron Martin & Peter Sunley, 2011. "Conceptualizing Cluster Evolution: Beyond the Life Cycle Model?," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(10), pages 1299-1318, November.
    13. Max-Peter Menzel, 2010. "Sources of ‘Second Generation Growth’: Spin-off Processes in the Emerging Biochip Industries in Jena and Berlin," Chapters, in: Dirk Fornahl & Sebastian Henn & Max-Peter Menzel (ed.), Emerging Clusters, chapter 10, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    14. Michaela Trippl & Markus Grillitsch & Arne Isaksen & Tanja Sinozic, 2015. "Perspectives on Cluster Evolution: Critical Review and Future Research Issues," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(10), pages 2028-2044, October.
    15. Pierre-Alexandre Balland & David Rigby & Ron Boschma, 2015. "The technological resilience of US cities," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 8(2), pages 167-184.
    16. Brendan Markey-Towler, 2018. "A formal psychological theory for evolutionary economics," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 28(4), pages 691-725, September.
    17. Mina Baliamoune-Lutz & Sharon C. Cobb, 2016. "Evolutionary Economic Geography for OFCs: Do Political Ties to the Onshore Reduce Capital Inflow Volatility?," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(4), pages 535-555, December.
    18. Breul Moritz & Broekel Tom & Brachert Matthias, 2015. "Die Treiber der räumlichen Emergenz und Konzentration der Photovoltaik- Industrie in Deutschland," ZFW – Advances in Economic Geography, De Gruyter, vol. 59(3), pages 133-150, December.
    19. Eike W. Schamp, 2010. "On the Notion of Co-evolution in Economic Geography," Chapters, in: Ron Boschma & Ron Martin (ed.), The Handbook of Evolutionary Economic Geography, chapter 20, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    20. Ron Martin & Peter Sunley, 2015. "On the notion of regional economic resilience: conceptualization and explanation," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 15(1), pages 1-42.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:respol:v:40:y:2011:i:9:p:1280-1294. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/respol .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.