IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ags/ijofsd/144859.html

Coordinating Clusters: A Cross Sectoral Study of Cluster Organization Functions in The Netherlands

Author

Listed:
  • Garbade, Philipp J.P.
  • Fortuin, Frances T.J.M.
  • Omta, S.W.F. (Onno)

Abstract

The present paper aims at answering the question how cluster organization functions are implemented in a high-tech, a medium to high-tech and a low to medium-tech cluster. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews from three clusters in the Netherlands, an agri-food cluster (as an example of a low to medium-tech cluster), a green biotech cluster (medium to high-tech) and a high-tech cluster. Concerning the cluster organization functions a number of similarities were found. For all three clusters it can be concluded that the network support function is considered to be very important. Sector independence can further be found concerning the innovation process support function, specifically regarding the promotion of the region as an attractive living and working area for highly qualified employees. The results also show a number of clear differences among the investigated clusters. Only in the low-to-medium tech agri-food cluster there was a clear need for internationalization support for SMEs to reach foreign markets. Only in the green biotech cluster the demand articulation was focused on the region where the cluster is based, which stands in contrast to the highly international orientation of the member companies. Only in the high-tech innovation cluster technology road mapping was extensively used. This powerful tool, developed to align the innovation process at the company and sector level, impacted further on the execution of the demand articulation/ network formation support functions, and could also be helpful for the green biotech and the agri-food clusters. Throughout the paper different cluster categorization schemes are besides the tech level are applied and give insights on their limitations and how to possibly deal with them in inter sectorial cluster comparison research.

Suggested Citation

  • Garbade, Philipp J.P. & Fortuin, Frances T.J.M. & Omta, S.W.F. (Onno), 2013. "Coordinating Clusters: A Cross Sectoral Study of Cluster Organization Functions in The Netherlands," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 3(3), pages 1-15, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:ijofsd:144859
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.144859
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/144859/files/Garbade-special%20issue.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.22004/ag.econ.144859?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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Harro van Lente & Marko Hekkert & Ruud Smits & Bas van Waveren, 2003. "Roles of Systemic Intermediaries in Transition Processes," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 7(03), pages 247-279.
    2. Howells, Jeremy, 2006. "Intermediation and the role of intermediaries in innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(5), pages 715-728, June.
    3. Bresnahan,Timothy & Gambardella,Alfonso (ed.), 2004. "Building High-Tech Clusters," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521827225.
    4. Bjorn Asheim & Helen Lawton Smith & Christine Oughton, 2011. "Regional Innovation Systems: Theory, Empirics and Policy," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(7), pages 875-891.
    5. Bergek, Anna & Jacobsson, Staffan & Carlsson, Bo & Lindmark, Sven & Rickne, Annika, 2008. "Analyzing the functional dynamics of technological innovation systems: A scheme of analysis," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 407-429, April.
    6. Maarten H. Batterink & Emiel F.M. Wubben & Laurens Klerkx & S.W.F. (Onno) Omta, 2010. "Orchestrating innovation networks: The case of innovation brokers in the agri-food sector," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(1), pages 47-76, January.
    7. Asheim, Bjorn T. & Coenen, Lars, 2005. "Knowledge bases and regional innovation systems: Comparing Nordic clusters," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(8), pages 1173-1190, October.
    8. Klerkx, Laurens & Leeuwis, Cees, 2008. "Matching demand and supply in the agricultural knowledge infrastructure: Experiences with innovation intermediaries," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 260-276, June.
    9. Pavitt, Keith, 1984. "Sectoral patterns of technical change: Towards a taxonomy and a theory," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 13(6), pages 343-373, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. De Silva, Muthu & Howells, Jeremy & Meyer, Martin, 2018. "Innovation intermediaries and collaboration: Knowledge–based practices and internal value creation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(1), pages 70-87.
    2. Nilsson, Magnus & Sia-Ljungström, Clarissa, 2013. "The Role of Innovation Intermediaries in Innovation Systems," 2013 International European Forum, February 18-22, 2013, Innsbruck-Igls, Austria 164741, International European Forum on System Dynamics and Innovation in Food Networks.
    3. Richard Lynch & Maeve Henchion & John J. Hyland & José A. Gutiérrez, 2022. "Creating a Rainbow for Sustainability: The Case of Sustainable Beef," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-24, April.
    4. Jenson, Ian & Doyle, Richard & Miles, Morgan P., 2020. "An entrepreneurial marketing process perspective of the role of intermediaries in producing innovation outcomes," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 291-299.
    5. Valerio, Erika & Hilmiati, Nurul & Prior, Julian & Panjaitan, Tanda, 2024. "Steering the herd or missing the mark? Navigating the role of research for development projects as innovation intermediaries in the Indonesian cattle sector," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 214(C).
    6. Caloffi, Annalisa & Colovic, Ana & Rizzoli, Valentina & Rossi, Federica, 2023. "Innovation intermediaries' types and functions: A computational analysis of the literature," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    7. Ho, Jae-Yun & Yoon, Semee, 2022. "Ambiguous roles of intermediaries in social entrepreneurship: The case of social innovation system in South Korea," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    8. Souzanchi Kashani, Ebrahim & Roshani, Saeed, 2019. "Evolution of innovation system literature: Intellectual bases and emerging trends," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 68-80.
    9. Maxim Kotsemir & Alexander Abroskin & Dirk Meissner, 2013. "Innovation concepts and typology – an evolutionary discussion," HSE Working papers WP BRP 05/STI/2013, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    10. Choi, Hyeseung & Lee, Min-Jae & Roh, Taewoo, 2024. "Is institutional pressure the driver for green business model innovation of SMEs? Mediating and moderating roles of regional innovation intermediaries," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    11. Dahesh, Mehran Badin & Tabarsa, Gholamali & Zandieh, Mostafa & Hamidizadeh, Mohammadreza, 2020. "Reviewing the intellectual structure and evolution of the innovation systems approach: A social network analysis," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    12. Aurélie Cardona & Cristiana Carusi & Michael Mayerfeld Bell, 2021. "Engaged Intermediaries to Bridge the Gap between Scientists, Educational Practitioners and Farmers to Develop Sustainable Agri-Food Innovation Systems: A US Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-13, October.
    13. Kerstens, Andrea & Langley, David J., 2025. "An innovation intermediary’s role in enhancing absorptive capacity for cross-industry digital innovation: Introducing an awareness capability and new intermediary practices," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    14. Pina, Katia & Tether, Bruce S., 2016. "Towards understanding variety in knowledge intensive business services by distinguishing their knowledge bases," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 401-413.
    15. Véronique Schaeffer & Mireille Matt, 2016. "Development of academic entrepreneurship in a non-mature context: the role of the university as a hub-organisation," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(9-10), pages 724-745, October.
    16. Bajmócy, Zoltán & Vas, Zsófia, 2012. "Az innovációs rendszerek 25 éve. Szakirodalmi áttekintés evolúciós közgazdaságtani megközelítésben [25 years of innovation systems. A literature review from the angle of evolutionary economics]," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(11), pages 1233-1256.
    17. Thanos Fragkandreas, 2023. "Case study research on innovation systems: paradox, dialectical analysis and resolution," Working Papers 65, Birkbeck Centre for Innovation Management Research, revised 15 May 2023.
    18. Xiangping Jia, 2021. "Agro-Food Innovation and Sustainability Transition: A Conceptual Synthesis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-24, June.
    19. Rakas, Marija & Hain, Daniel S., 2019. "The state of innovation system research: What happens beneath the surface?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(9), pages 1-1.
    20. Omta, S.W.F. (Onno) & Fortuin, Frances T.J.M., 2012. "Member Company Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Food Valley as a Cluster Organization," 2012 International European Forum, February 13-17, 2012, Innsbruck-Igls, Austria 144865, International European Forum on System Dynamics and Innovation in Food Networks.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:ags:ijofsd:144859. 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: AgEcon Search (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/centmde.html .

    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.