The Role of Cluster Policy in Regional Development: Monitoring Cluster Regulation in Apulia, Italy

Several studies conducted in recent years show that in European regions where business aggregations operate there is a general strengthening of the innovation ecosystems. Besides, the dimension of the phenomenon at European level is quite significant. Although this phenomenon may manifest itself spontaneously in a given territory, the focus of this paper is on business aggregations as formal cluster organisations: it is in fact on the latter that public policies can most effectively unfold their effects. Actions undertaken by these organisations often contribute to improving links and exchanges between companies but also between companies and the research community: it is therefore of relevance to have an overview of effective public measures supporting business aggregations and implemented at regional level. At this aim, through a mix of analytical techniques of policy monitoring and evaluation, we tried to: systematically examine the effects produced by the regional law on «productive districts», particular kinds of clusters in the Apulia case; identify which factors are most likely to contribute to a successful regional cluster policy. Throughout the analysis, we identified at least six success factors for improving business aggregations regulation, with the awareness that the results gathered for Apulia case to relaunch its regional cluster policy can also support other regions in the same challenge.