Policy Induced Innovation Networks: The Case of the German “Leading-Edge Cluster Competition”

Abstract

Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. Terms of use: Documents in AbstractThe last decades saw a pronounced shift in innovation policy in Germany and many other countries towards increased funding of cooperative R&D. Over the last years, competitions between regional initiatives pushed this trend even further by adding a regional perspective, by increasing the scope of funding, and by fostering interaction between a large number of actors. In 2008 the German ministry for education and research (BMBF) started the "Leading-Edge Cluster competition" ("Spitzencluster-Wettbewerb") in which 15 clusters were selected in three waves (2008, 2010, 2012) and are funded for a five-year period with up to 40 million Euro each. Our paper presents selected results regarding the influence of government funding on cooperation networks within five of the clusters that were successful in the first wave of the "SpitzenclusterWettbewerb". More specifically, we analyse the extent of policy influence on the network of most important cooperation partners, its geographic reach, and the changes of network structure in general. Our empirical analysis is based on original data that was collected in 2011 with cluster actors (firms and public research) who received government funding. Our results indicate that the program was quite effective in initiating new cooperations between cluster actors and in intensifying existing linkages. The vast majority of the linkages which are influenced by the cluster competition are between actors located in the cluster region. With respect to the influence of the cluster competition on network structure, we find an increase in network centralization. Small and medium sized enterprises used the chance to connect with the local 'stars', but not as much among each other.

Structural dynamics of innovation networks in German Leading-Edge Clusters

“…Without these external linkages a cluster would face the danger of a regional lock-in (Bathelt et al 2004, Boschma 2005. Slight differences between the clusters regarding the geographical distribution of linkages, as shown by Cantner et al (2013), are due to peculiarities of the technological systems the clusters belong to but will not be further explored here.…”

“…Since evaluations, especially of innovative funding schemes, are crucial for learning of the adaptive policy maker (Metcalfe 1995) there is obviously a need for such kind of an empirical analysis. Following the suggestions of Giuliani and Pietrobelli (2011) and building on the previous analysis by Cantner et al (2013), we employ social network analysis to study the influence of the LECC on interaction structures.…”

Why are there so few hard facts about the impact of cluster policies in Germany? A critical review of evaluation studies

“…(3) Studies dealing with selected aspects of cluster policy impact using methods of econometric causal analysis (e.g., Engel et al 2017;Nestle 2011). (4) Econometric analyses of specific aspects of the impacts of promoted clusters, such as the development of ensuing innovation networks (e.g., Graf and Broekel 2020;Cantner et al 2013;Wolf et al 2017), or studies that use qualitative methods to analyse special dimensions of cluster development, for instance, the importance of cluster initiatives for regional economic development (Kiese and Hundt 2014).…”

“…Studies based on social network analysis show that the co-financing of R&D projects leads to a significant expansion and structural changes of the innovation networks within the promoted clusters. There is evidence that cluster policies provide the opportunity for SMEs to participate in research networks, and lead to the central network actors playing a more pronounced role (Cantner et al 2013;.…”

“…Thus, in the case of output additionality on the meso-level, there is strong evidence concerning the extension and transformation of existing cluster innovation networks (Graf and Broekel 2020;Cantner et al 2013;Rothgang et al 2014a, b). However, the question remains whether the newly created networks always provide added value for the actors involved.…”