Main elements of clusters

The primary elements essential for a cluster are: actors, trust and cooperation, knowledge sharing and innovation, entrepreneurship and networks (Frisillo 2007).

2.2.1. Actors

Although primarily driven by the efforts made by private companies and individuals, clusters are influenced by various actors, including research institutions, governments and other public institutions at national and regional levels.

Companies

In the most cases, the majority of clusters are formed by SMEs. In addition to the reasons already presented in the beginning of this chapter, clusters strengthen SMEs, in

the fact that they assist smaller companies in their development stages. Thus, SMEs can become more efficient and achieve economies of scale.

In their study, Chung and Kanins (2001) found that small firms were some of the greatest beneficiaries of the increased revenue accruing to firms operating from cluster locations. According to Tallman, Jenkis, Henry and Pinch (2004), firms inside a cluster gain superior access to knowledge, which enables them to establish competitive advantage. In addition, smaller firms are able to take advantage of the increased number of customers who are drawn to the area by the reputations of the larger firms within the region, which allows small firms to more easily present their products/services to their intended market.

Science Institutions

However, a cluster is not solely developed around a group of companies. In many cases clusters have been gathered around a Research Institute or a University. As we will further see in this subchapter, innovation is a key point in a cluster life process. Thus, having a research centre in the same location is crucial for a cluster’s survival.

Government

Last, but not the least, clusters cannot function properly without the help of the Government. Both national and local Governments have considerable roles to play in the promotion of a clustering approach. Not only that they create the framework conditions, setting the rules for competition and promoting entrepreneurial spirit, but they also actively engage in, and promote, such an approach (Porter 1998).

2.2.2. Trust and cooperation

It is not only geographical concentrations of the SMEs operating in the same sector are determinants for producing “external economies”. But a cluster cannot develop successfully unless there is a trust relationship created across its members.

Trust is considered to be a key prerequisite involved in the knowledge sharing process.

According to Maskell and Lorenzen (2004) if there is trust, then new markets begin to form as companies can share knowledge more freely, without worrying that they will not gain anything. Moreover, raising the level of trust between businesses that are cluster members is a strategic determination in the successful development of clusters.

The other element, without which cluster cannot achieve economic advantage is cooperation. As a strategic alliance, companies inside clusters need to be open to each other and share all the risks involved.

2.2.3. Knowledge sharing and innovation

In recent years, there has been an advance in the research regarding companies resources, and according to business scholars, knowledge is the resource that can create competitive advantage. Creating knowledge is a primarily activity of the cluster.

However, sharing knowledge and technology is the activity that enables clusters to develop and grow, while maintaining a competitive advantage. In addition, knowledge sharing especially when received from multiple sources, as in the case of clusters can help companies to reduce the uncertainty that is associated with innovative activities.

It is stated that knowledge is the driving force behind innovation. Preissl and Solimene (qtd. in Karaev, Koh & Szamosi 2007) defined clusters as a set of interdependent organizations that contribute to the realizations of innovations in an economic sector or industry. They are completed by Enright’s (2000) view that states that “a cluster can generate, adapt or use various forms of technology”. Therefore, clusters can create technologic innovations that are vital in competing with other organizations.

The ease of the clusters in being innovative is also drawn from the fact that having a higher number of actors that are closer to the market, then they also know exactly the market and its needs.

2.2.4. Entrepreneurship

The business literature, advocates the need of a certain business environment that can foster competition and economical growth. This type of environment is necessary for the cluster development and is a precondition for its formation. According to Love, Edwards and Irani (2004), the organizations that are based on learning require an environment where experimenting with new approaches is encouraged and errors are not perceived as failures. In addition, Castillo and Fana (qtd. in Karaev, Koh & Szamosi 2007) believe that clusters should be formed in a geographical area, which can be characterized by an entrepreneurial environment, which will further boost the competitiveness of the cluster.

However, I believe that it should not only resume to the preexisting state before the formation of the cluster. The entrepreneurial environment should further develop and, for example, organizations within a cluster, as they can easily perceive unsatisfied needs in their geographical area and using the needed assets, skills, inputs, and staff, which are often readily available at the cluster location, can establish a new enterprise (Porter 1998).

2.2.5. Networks

Networks have been defined in various ways. According to Cook and Emerson (1978) a network is “a set of two or more connected exchange relationships that are positively and negatively linked”. However, a more recent approach to the concept is given by two of the most erudits IMP scholars, Håkansson and Ford. According to them, a network is

”a structure where a number of nodes are related to each other by specific threads”

Håkansson and Ford (2002).

Although a bit confusing, the concept of networks will be cleared up with the analysis of its components. According to Håkansson & Snehota (1995), networks are sum of three elements: actors, resources and activities (see table 1). The actors are the companies that are part of the network. The actors are the one that are handling the

resources and the activities in the network in order to achieve their purpose. Resources can be understood as anything that has a known use for the actors. In R&D networks, the primarily resource of a network is knowledge. However, there are also tangible and other intangible resources. Activities are all the technical, commercial, administrative and other activities of firms which can connect them.

Table 1. ARA in relationship and networks. (Håkansson & Snehota 1995: 45).

Level Factors

Company Relationship Network

Activities Activity structure

Activity links Activity pattern Actors Organisational

structure

Actor bonds Web of actors Resources Resource

collection

Resource ties Resource constellation

Therefore, in this study, networks should be understood as the relationships between the members of the clusters, which participate in different activities, and use cluster resources.

The elements presented in this subchapter are linked to each other and cannot achieve the same results if taken separately. However, there is another important factor that should be considered when taking about clusters and their competitiveness: the geographical proximity, which I will discuss in the next subchapter of the thesis.