The Nature and Geography of Knowledge Sourcing in a Developing Region: the Case of Engineering-Based Cluster

This study contributes to understanding the nature and geography of multiple knowledge sourcing channels in an engineering-based cluster in a developing economy context. The aim is to investigate how, with whom, and across what distances firms source knowledge. The study applies social network analyses and descriptive statistics to investigate the aim of the paper. The empirical analysis is based on structured interviews, showing that firms rely heavily on the synthetic knowledge base. The collaboration network has the highest density at the cluster level, followed by monitoring at the international level. Each knowledge sourcing mechanism entails a different spatial reach. Also, the positions of knowledge sources in the networks are different. Most valuable knowledge linkages are at the regional level, while linkages have almost a small share at the national level. Among the linkages of firms with knowledge sources, the largest number of ties is related to interactions with the other firms at the international level and customers within the region. Some policy implications for fine-tuned regional innovation are explored.