IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/globus/v25y2024i2p377-400.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Clusters as a Mechanism of Sharing Knowledge and Innovation: Case Study from a Network Approach

Author

Listed:
  • Mário Franco
  • Lurdes Esteves
  • Margarida Rodrigues

Abstract

Following a network approach, this study aims to understand the potential of inter-organizational relationships in clusters for sharing knowledge and innovation. To this end, qualitative research of an exploratory nature was undertaken, with the information being gathered through interviews with owners and managers of small and medium-sized family enterprises belonging to an agro-industrial cluster in Portugal. Through content analysis, the results obtained showed that clustering 1 promotes the publicizing and internationalization of products and has an impact on small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SME) results. The importance of the cluster’s action regarding innovation was also confirmed, and so was its potential as a catalyst for the sharing of knowledge. Business-people’s attitude and relational competences, particularly trust, mutual help and having an open mind, were found to be essential factors for successful network functioning and the clustering process. Therefore, this study contributes to the developing existing theory by analysing clustering as inter-organizational networks of sharing knowledge and innovation activities in the light of the network theory and its association with resource-based and knowledge-sharing theories.

Suggested Citation

  • Mário Franco & Lurdes Esteves & Margarida Rodrigues, 2024. "Clusters as a Mechanism of Sharing Knowledge and Innovation: Case Study from a Network Approach," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 25(2), pages 377-400, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:globus:v:25:y:2024:i:2:p:377-400
    DOI: 10.1177/0972150920957270
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0972150920957270
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/0972150920957270?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. Ming-Huei Chen & Hong-Yan Wang & Ming-Chao Wang, 2018. "Knowledge sharing, social capital, and financial performance: the perspectives of innovation strategy in technological clusters," Knowledge Management Research & Practice, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(1), pages 89-104, January.
    2. Gautam Ahuja & Giuseppe Soda & Akbar Zaheer, 2012. "The Genesis and Dynamics of Organizational Networks," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(2), pages 434-448, April.
    3. 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.
    4. Elke Sch�ßler & Carolin Decker & Frank Lerch, 2013. "Networks of Clusters: A Governance Perspective," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(4), pages 357-377, May.
    5. Ikujiro Nonaka, 1994. "A Dynamic Theory of Organizational Knowledge Creation," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 5(1), pages 14-37, February.
    6. Sonderegger, Petra & Täube, Florian, 2010. "Cluster life cycle and diaspora effects: Evidence from the Indian IT cluster in Bangalore," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 16(4), pages 383-397, December.
    7. Christian Ketels, 2013. "Recent research on competitiveness and clusters: what are the implications for regional policy?," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 6(2), pages 269-284.
    8. Anne Ter Wal & Ron Boschma, 2011. "Co-evolution of Firms, Industries and Networks in Space," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(7), pages 919-933.
    9. Sjoerd Beugelsdijk, 2009. "A Multilevel Approach to Social Capital," International Studies of Management & Organization, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(2), pages 65-89, January.
    10. DeBresson, Chris & Amesse, Fernand, 1991. "Networks of innovators :A review and introduction to the issue," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 20(5), pages 363-379, October.
    11. Evert-Jan Visser, 2009. "The Complementary Dynamic Effects of Clusters and Networks," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(2), pages 167-195.
    12. Ron Martin & Peter Sunley, 2003. "Deconstructing clusters: chaotic concept or policy panacea?," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 3(1), pages 5-35, January.
    13. Morosini, Piero, 2004. "Industrial Clusters, Knowledge Integration and Performance," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 305-326, February.
    14. Mila Davids & Koen Frenken, 2018. "Proximity, knowledge base and the innovation process: towards an integrated framework," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(1), pages 23-34, January.
    15. Evert-Jan Visser & Ron Boschma, 2004. "Learning in districts: Novelty and lock-in in a regional context," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(6), pages 793-808, September.
    16. Ikujiro Nonaka & Georg von Krogh, 2009. "Perspective---Tacit Knowledge and Knowledge Conversion: Controversy and Advancement in Organizational Knowledge Creation Theory," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 20(3), pages 635-652, June.
    17. Luciano Kay & Jan Youtie & Philip Shapira, 2016. "Inter-industry knowledge flows and sectoral networks in the economy of Malaysia," Knowledge Management Research & Practice, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(3), pages 280-294, August.
    18. Ron Boschma & Anne L. J. ter Wal, 2007. "Knowledge Networks and Innovative Performance in an Industrial District: The Case of a Footwear District in the South of Italy," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(2), pages 177-199.
    19. Giuliani, Elisa & Bell, Martin, 2005. "The micro-determinants of meso-level learning and innovation: evidence from a Chilean wine cluster," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 47-68, February.
    20. Ron Boschma, 2005. "Proximity and Innovation: A Critical Assessment," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(1), pages 61-74.
    21. Alistair R. Anderson & Sarah L. Jack, 2002. "The articulation of social capital in entrepreneurial networks: a glue or a lubricant?," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(3), pages 193-210, July.
    22. Ivan Light & Léo–Paul Dana, 2013. "Boundaries of Social Capital in Entrepreneurship," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 37(3), pages 603-624, May.
    23. Deepak Chandrashekar & M. H. Bala Subrahmanya, 2019. "Exploring the factors of cluster linkages that influence innovation performance of firms in a cluster," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(1), pages 1-22, January.
    24. John Humphrey & Hubert Schmitz, 2002. "How does insertion in global value chains affect upgrading in industrial clusters?," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(9), pages 1017-1027.
    25. John Parr & Geoffrey Hewings & Jungyul Sohn & Suahasil Nazara, 2002. "Agglomeration and Trade: Some Additional Perspectives," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(6), pages 675-684.
    26. Gunday, Gurhan & Ulusoy, Gunduz & Kilic, Kemal & Alpkan, Lutfihak, 2011. "Effects of innovation types on firm performance," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(2), pages 662-676, October.
    27. Pesämaa, Ossi & Hair Jr, Joseph F, 2006. "More than friendship is required : an empirical test of cooperative firm strategies," MPRA Paper 8427, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2007.
    28. Das, T. K. & Teng, Bing-Sheng, 2003. "Partner analysis and alliance performance," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 19(3), pages 279-308, September.
    29. Andrew C. Inkpen & Wang Pien, 2006. "An Examination of Collaboration and Knowledge Transfer: China–Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(4), pages 779-811, June.
    30. Schmitz, Hubert & Nadvi, Khalid, 1999. "Clustering and Industrialization: Introduction," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 27(9), pages 1503-1514, September.
    31. Petra Sonderegger & Florian Taübe, 2010. "Cluster life cycle and diaspora effects: Evidence from the Indian IT cluster in Bangalore," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/206767, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    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. Täube, Florian A. & Karna, Amit & Sonderegger, Petra, 2019. "Economic geography and emerging market clusters: A co-evolutionary study of local and non-local networks in Bangalore," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(5), pages 1-1.
    2. Deepak Chandrashekar & M. H. Bala Subrahmanya & Kshitija Joshi & Tathagat Priyadarshi, 2019. "Effect of Innovation on Firm Performance — The Case of a Technology Intensive Manufacturing Cluster in India," International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 16(07), pages 1-31, November.
    3. 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.
    4. Joan Crespo & Raphaël Suire & Jérôme Vicente, 2016. "Network structural properties for cluster long-run dynamics: evidence from collaborative R&D networks in the European mobile phone industry," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 25(2), pages 261-282.
    5. Karna, Amit & Florian A. Taeube & Petra Sonderegger, 2014. "Economic Geography and Networks: Role of local and non-local ties in Cluster Evolution," IIMA Working Papers WP2014-12-01, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Research and Publication Department.
    6. Isabel Díez-Vial & Marta Fernández-Olmos, 2015. "Knowledge spillovers in science and technology parks: how can firms benefit most?," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 70-84, February.
    7. Jiaxin Wang & Qinghong Xie & Xinyu Geng, 2024. "Exploring the Effects of Multi-Governance Mechanisms throughout the Dynamic Evolution of the Cooperative Innovation Network," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-27, February.
    8. Kaihuang Zhang & Qinglan Qian & Yijing Zhao, 2020. "Evolution of Guangzhou Biomedical Industry Innovation Network Structure and Its Proximity Mechanism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-20, March.
    9. Yeung, Henry Wai-chung & Liu, Weidong & Dicken, Peter, 2006. "Transnational corporations and network effects of a local manufacturing cluster in mobile telecommunications equipment in China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 520-540, March.
    10. Christian Longhi, 2017. "Cluster Dynamics: Learning from Competitiveness Cluster Policy. The Case of 'Secure Communicating Solutions' in the French Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Region," GREDEG Working Papers 2017-42, Groupe de REcherche en Droit, Economie, Gestion (GREDEG CNRS), Université Côte d'Azur, France.
    11. Fiorenza Belussi & Silvia R. Sedita, 2012. "Industrial Districts as Open Learning Systems: Combining Emergent and Deliberate Knowledge Structures," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(2), pages 165-184, April.
    12. Ekaterina Turkina & Ari Van Assche, 2018. "Global Connectedness and Local Innovation in Industrial Clusters," CIRANO Working Papers 2018s-12, CIRANO.
    13. Di Ye & Linlin Zheng & Peixu He, 2021. "Industry Cluster Innovation Upgrading and Knowledge Evolution: A Simulation Analysis Based on Small-World Networks," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(3), pages 21582440211, July.
    14. Christian Longhi, 2015. "Clusters and collective learning networks: the case of the Competitiveness Cluster ‘Secure Communicating Solutions’ in the French Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region," Working Papers halshs-01248304, HAL.
    15. Sun, Yutao & Grimes, Seamus, 2017. "The actors and relations in evolving networks: The determinants of inter-regional technology transaction in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 125-136.
    16. Gebreeyesus, Mulu & Mohnen, Pierre, 2013. "Innovation Performance and Embeddedness in Networks: Evidence from the Ethiopian Footwear Cluster," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 302-316.
    17. Pierre-Alexandre Balland & José Antonio Belso-Martínez & Andrea Morrison, 2014. "The Dynamics of Technical and Business Networks in Industrial Clusters: Embeddedness, status or proximity?," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 1412, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Apr 2014.
    18. Broekel, Tom & Fornahl, Dirk & Morrison, Andrea, 2015. "Another cluster premium: Innovation subsidies and R&D collaboration networks," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(8), pages 1431-1444.
    19. Stefano Basilico & Uwe Cantner & Holger Graf, 2023. "Policy influence in the knowledge space: a regional application," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(2), pages 591-622, April.
    20. Lutz Eigenhüller & Nicole Litzel & Stefan Fuchs, 2015. "Who with whom: Co-operation activities in a cluster region," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 94(3), pages 469-497, August.

    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:sae:globus:v:25:y:2024:i:2:p:377-400. 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: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.imi.edu/ .

    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.