Do Clusters Make a Difference? Defining and Assessing their Economic Performance

Abstract

Spencer G. M., Vinodrai T., Gertler M. S. and Wolfe D. A. Do clusters make a difference? Defining and assessing their economic performance, Regional Studies. This paper contributes to the literature on cluster dynamics by developing a new methodology for identifying clusters that is not dependent on United States-based definitions. This methodology is used to test if the geographical clustering of economic activities leads to superior industrial performance and regional competitiveness. The analysis produces two important findings. First, when industries locate in an urban region with a critical mass of related industries, they tend to generate both higher incomes and rates of employment growth. Second, the overall prevalence of clustering within a city-region is positively associated with income levels and employment growth. [image omitted] Spencer G. M., Vinodrai T., Gertler M. S. et Wolfe D. A. Les grappes, qu'est-ce qu'elles changent? Definir et evaluer leur performance economique, Regional Studies. Cet article cherche a contribuer a la documentation sur la dynamique des grappes en developpant une nouvelle methodologie qui identifie les grappes et qui ne depend pas des definitions americaines. On se sert de cette methodologie afin d'evaluer si, oui ou non, le regroupement geographique des activites economiques entraine une meilleure performance industrielle et une competitivite regionale accrue. Il s'avere deux conclusions importantes. Primo, au moment ou les industries s'installent dans une zone urbaine dotee d'un nombre critique d'industries qui s'y rattachent, elles ont tendance a creer a la fois des revenus et des taux de croissance de l'emploi plus eleves. Secundo, la tendance globale au regroupement au sein d'une cite-region est etroitement liee au niveau des revenus et a la croissance de l'emploi. Grappes Emplacement industriel Competitivite Performance economique Amenagement du territoire Canada Spencer G. M., Vinodrai T., Gertler M. S. und Wolfe D. A. Machen Cluster einen Unterschied? Definition und Bewertung ihrer Wirtschaftsleistung, Regional Studies. In diesem Beitrag zur Literatur uber Cluster-Dynamik entwickeln wir eine neue Methodologie zur Identifizierung von Clustern unabhangig von den Definitionen der USA. Anhand dieser Methodologie uberprufen wir, ob die geografische Ballung wirtschaftlicher Aktivitaten zu einer uberlegenen industriellen Leistung und regionalen Wettbewerbsfahigkeit fuhrt. Unsere Analyse fuhrt zu zwei wichtigen Ergebnissen. Erstens: Wenn sich Branchen in einer urbanen Region mit einer kritischen Masse zugehoriger Branchen ansiedeln, erzeugen sie tendenziell hohere Einkommen und Raten von Beschaftigungswachstum. Zweitens: Die generelle Pravalenz von Clustern innerhalb einer Stadtregion hangt positiv mit der Einkommenshohe und dem Beschaftigungswachstum zusammen. Cluster Industriestandort Konkurrenzfahigkeit Wirtschaftsleistung Regionale Wirtschaftsentwicklung Kanada Spencer G. M., Vinodrai T., Gertler M. S. y Wolfe D. A. �Marcan las aglomeraciones una diferencia? Definicion y...

Nested Methodological Approaches for Cluster Policy Evaluation: An Application to the Basque Country

“…There is a large empirical literature that has analysed various aspects of agglomeration impacts in terms of both Jacobs and MAR externalities. See, for example: GLAESER et al, (1992); AUDRETSCH and FELDMAN (1996); PACI and USAI (2000); DURANTON and PUGA (2001); GREUNZ (2004); MARTIN et al (2008b); SPENCER et al, (2009)…”

The Effects of Cluster Policy on Innovation

“…Enright, 1996;Spencer et al, 2010) include a degree of specialisation in a particular industry (measured by employment), co-location of the specialized industry and other related industries, and scale or critical mass in the cluster. There are however many deep-seated controversies about conceptual and empirical questions of what clusters are and how they can be identified, how they emerge and evolve, why they matter and how they can be used by policy (Pitelis et al, 2006).…”

“…A more limited number of studies have tried to empirically demonstrate the benefits of clustering on growth and productivity. For instance, Spencer et al (2010), using a data set for 300 industries in 140 city-regions in Canada, found that industries located in areas with critical mass of related industries tend to display higher incomes and rates of growth compared with those located in non-clustered settings. In a comparative study of clustering in the US and UK computer industries, Baptista and Swann (1999) found that firms in strong clusters tend to grow faster.…”

Inter-industrial Relations and Sectoral Employment Development in German Regions

“…This has the advantage that the concept can be integrated into an input-output framework, in which input-output linkages, i.e. the flow of Another approach is offered by Spencer et al (2010). Their cluster identification concept is based on the application of the location quotient -a measure for regional specialization in a specific industry -and takes regional and national variations in economic structures, intersectoral relations and historical contexts into account.…”

“…Thereby, industries were, in general, classified according to the official sector classification system. Only a few studies, for example by Spencer et al (2010) or Peri/Cuñat (2001), analysed the regional economic impact of clustered industries or, more precisely, the co-location of customers and suppliers of intermediate goods. The present model approach builds on the previous studies.…”