On the crest of a wave: the New Zealand boat-building cluster

Abstract

This paper uses qualitative research to study how the New Zealand boat-building cluster evolved and how world-class competitive capabilities developed within this cluster. Porter's cluster theory is tested in this paper and the findings confirm most of his determinants of a cluster. The main contribution of this paper, however, is that it identifies additional determinants of competitive advantage within this cluster. Two such determinants are the drive for internationalisation and the role of entrepreneurs in developing the cluster. In contrast to the existing literature, the paper shows how internationalisation contributed to the development of the cluster rather than the reverse. It was through the process of internationalisation that firms started to specialise and differentiate their products and to appreciate the benefits of collaborating with each other as they tried to enter and expand in international markets. In addition, this study confirms the important role played by entrepreneurial leaders within the industry who acted as catalysts to develop this cluster.

The Relationship Networks of Entrepreneurs and the Effects of A Formation of An Industry Cluster on Their Relationships

“…This is particularly important as the marine-technology entrepreneurs plan for global marketing of their products. In line with Chetty (2004), we find internationalisation to contribute to the development of the cluster rather than the reverse. The interest to internationalise led the entrepreneurs to appreciate the benefits of collaborating, initially based on weak relationships, with each other as they began expanding globally.…”

Wine cluster formation in New Zealand: operation, evolution and impact

“…Previous work on clusters has focused on a clusters ability to foster competitive advantage in member firms and hence support and encourage internationalisation. This study has required us to give equal weight to developmental influences flowing in the other direction: from internationalisation to cluster development (Chetty, 2004, p. 8).…”

Towards a sport cluster model: the ocean racing cluster in Brittany

“…Clusters have been studied in numerous different industrial contexts such as science and technology, craft and manufacturing, and art and leisure industries (Porter, 1998). While there are few conceptual articles on sport clusters (Hillairet, 2005;Shilbury, 2000), there is a larger number of empirical research articles (Chetty, 2004;Chetty & Agndal, 2008;Glass & Hayward, 2001;Kellett & Russell, 2009;Parker & Beedell, 2010;Richard, 2007;Sarvan et al, 2012;Stewart, Skinner, & Edwards, 2008;Tristão, Oprime, Jugend, & da Silva, 2013;Viljamaa, 2007). While all these articles make direct or indirect use of Porter's cluster concept, there is no common understanding of what exactly constitutes a sport cluster.…”

“…The cluster concept has been applied to sport and sport-related industries. Some studies have been conceptual (Hillairet, 2005;Shilbury, 2000), but most is empirical research in which sport clusters are mapped, analysed, or used as an empirical context for certain research questions (Chetty, 2004;Kellett & Russell, 2009;Parker & Beedell, 2010;Richard, 2007;Sarvan et al, 2012;Stewart et al, 2008;Viljamaa, 2007). We specifically build on Shilbury (2000) who proposes sport clusters as future sport delivery systems.…”

“…Others study skateboarding in Australia and the relevance of clusters to new sport delivery systems (Kellett & Russell, 2009). Other sportrelated empirical cluster studies are concerned with yacht building clusters in New Zealand (Chetty, 2004) and Turkey (Sarvan et al, 2012), Southern England's horseracing industry (Parker & Beedell, 2010), North Carolina's (USA) motorsport cluster (Viljamaa, 2007), and the sport equipment cluster in the region of Rhônes-Alpes (France) (Richard, 2007). Shilbury (2000) argues sport clusters are a particular form of clusters and analyses the development of different localised sport industries.…”