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Clustering the Winners: the French Policy of Competitiveness Clusters

Author

Listed:
  • Lionel Fontagné
  • Pamina Koenig
  • Florian Mayneris
  • Sandra Poncet

Abstract

In 2005 the French government launched a policy of competitiveness clusters, giving subsidies for innovative projects managed locally and collectively by firms, research centers and universities. This paper proposes an ex-ante analysis of the outcome of the selection process that took place before the implementation of the subsidies program, in order to assess whether the policy ended up in choosing winners or losers. We first ask how the clusters have been selected, and then focus on the selection of firms within the clusters, using export and productivity as a measure of performance. Our main conclusion is that public authorities have chosen the winners during the two-step selection procedure. Export premium, beyond what individual characteristics would predict, is however most visible within the category of clusters having no international ambition, where heterogeneity among firms is the largest.

Suggested Citation

  • Lionel Fontagné & Pamina Koenig & Florian Mayneris & Sandra Poncet, 2010. "Clustering the Winners: the French Policy of Competitiveness Clusters," Working Papers 2010-18, CEPII research center.
    • Handle: RePEc:cii:cepidt:2010-18
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. 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.
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    3. Martin, Philippe & Mayer, Thierry & Mayneris, Florian, 2011. "Public support to clusters: A firm level study of French "Local Productive Systems"," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(2), pages 108-123, March.
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    JEL classification:

    • F1 - International Economics - - Trade
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade

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