Stimulation of innovations: case of the Latvian IT cluster

This paper is based on assumption that innovation and competitiveness can be facilitated by clusters. The cluster approach has certain advantages which could be explored by firms looking for increased growth, competitiveness and innovation. The analysis of the Latvian Information Technology cluster shows that it has developed a platform for increasing competitiveness and innovation capacity for IT firms, and it helps to draw conclusions for further improvement of cluster and individual company performance.Innovation, competitiveness, clusters, cluster initiative, information technology, International Development, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, M15, O32,

Increasing competitiveness of the construction sector by adopting innovative clustering

Companies in today's world need to become and stay competitive. This means, among other things, that they have to create new ideas and turn them into innovative products and processes. Appropriate innovation management strategies, including creation of various kinds of alliances with other business entities, need to be adopted within the company. Clustering is one of such possibilities. The paper discusses the main features of clusters and the benefits for their members; in addition, it identifies specific features of the construction sector that require specific approaches to establish a cluster.\ud The methodology Innovative Cluster Model with 3x3x3 mail elements (ICM333) is proposed and used to initiate and develop a cluster in the construction sector. In the cluster development three stages are identified: emergence, development and maturity of the cluster. Actions associated with these three stages tackle four areas (in each stage): rationale, organization, resources, and implementation. All areas are thoroughly elaborated and discussed in the paper. In the first step, the emerging cluster, the key element is identification, assessment and dissemination of development opportunities. It can run parallel with the cluster initiation, which is followed by the operation. Within the steps to be taken in the stage of the developing cluster, visions nad the goals have to be defined first, followed by the definition of the cluster organisation. The mature cluster stage has to focus on performance measurement and management, and take appropriate measures to garantee its sustainability and adequate innovative character.\ud Implementation of the proposed cluster development methodology has the potential of greatly facilitating the betterment of a construction sector in a particular country. It can be a valuable tool, when available to policymakers, chambers of commerce and trade, and other stakeholders that wish to foster the development of such clusters.\ud The paper reports on the results of the 7th Framework project FP7-REGIONS-2007-1 RegCon – Support Action for Innovation Driven Clusters in Construction.\u

Cluster initiatives as a competitiveness factor of modern enterprises

The authors study the problem of provision of competitiveness of enterprises in the market economy, consider the existing methodologies of evaluation of competitiveness of enterprises, determine the factors of competitiveness, and offer hypothesis, according to which cluster initiatives facilitate the improvement of values of competitiveness factors and the increase of general competitiveness of enterprise. The authors check their hypothesis, analyzing the cluster’s influence on the formation of competitive advantages of its enterprises and on their competitiveness as a whole. As a result, the authors come to a conclusion that implementation of cluster initiatives facilitates the improvement of main factors of competitiveness of cluster enterprises, as it improves marketing, management, informational and technological component, and human capital and increase market share and market power of enterprises within cluster. As a result of the research the offered hypothesis is proved and it is determined that cluster initiatives facilitate the improvement of values of competitiveness factors and the increase of general competitiveness of enterprise. That’s why cluster initiatives are a competitiveness factor of modern enterprises.peer-reviewe

Financing cluster initiatives

In the last two decades hundreds of cluster initiatives have been launched involving virtually all regions of the world and their number is growing. Cluster initiatives are viewed as conscious actions taken by various actors to create or strengthen clusters. There are multiple relevant actors, and they may relate to each other in different ways. Governments and other public authorities are known to be responsible for most cluster initiatives, although there is a marked geographical variation. At the end of the 1990s, industrial and regional policy increasingly concentrated on stimulating clusters and clustering processes in many EU member states using different forms of support. The paper describes the rationale for regional cluster initiatives in general and presents different approaches of countries to the financing the specific programmes for cluster development. Although public funds should not be viewed as systematic aid and should comply with the State aid regulations, experts recognise that they are often needed to support start-up projects, networking, information, research, education, and specialised infrastructure. At the end of paper the Czech way to financing cluster initiatives is presented based on government programme with the financial contribution of EU Structural Funds.Competitiveness; region; cluster; cluster initiative; cluster policy; financing development programme

FORMING A CLUSTER STRATEGY FOR TEXTILE INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT IN UZBEKISTAN

The article confers urgency of establishing clusters in textile industry. Particular focus is given to resource interaction among compound elements of national textile cluster. Policy recommendations targeted to development of cluster in the textile sector of Uzbekistan are provided.Cluster, textile industry, competitiveness, cotton fiber, innovations., Industrial Organization, Marketing, Production Economics, L67, O25,

Deconstructing Clusters: Chaotic Concept or Policy Panacea

Recently there has been growing interest in local industrial agglomeration and specialisation, by economic geographers, economists and policy-makers. Michael Porter's work on 'clusters' has proved by far the most influential to have emerged. His 'cluster theory' has become the standard concept in the field, and policy-makers worldwide have seized upon it as a tool for promoting national, regional and local competitiveness, innovation and growth. However, seductive though the cluster concept is, there is much about it that is problematic, and the rush to employ 'cluster ideas' has run ahead of many fundamental conceptual, theoretical and empirical questions. Our aim is to deconstruct the cluster concept in order to reveal and highlight our concerns relating to the definition of the cluster concept, its theorisation, its empirics, the claims made for its benefits and advantages, and its use in policy-making.business location, clusters, chaotic concept, cluster theory, cluster policy

On increasing of the competitiveness of the garment industry in Siberian Federal District on the basis of the industrial cluster establishment

The issue of the development prospects of the Russian economy and the economy of its individual branches in the regions is highly relevant in terms of the increasing crises and economic development challenges. The scope of the study is a garment industry of the Siberian Federal District, which includes 12 subjects, and only six of them develop the garment industry actively. There are the regions of Kemerovo, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Tomsk, Krasnoyarsk Krai and the Republic of Khakassia. The subject matter of the research is the state and prospects of the garment industry of the Siberian Federal District. It also includes the assessment of the garment industry as one of the sub-sectors of the light industry in terms of its competitiveness in the domestic market. The purpose of the comprehensive study is to determine the conditions and factors affecting the development of the industry, as well as to identify its development reserves and competitiveness on the basis of industrial cluster’s generation. The hypothesis of this study is that in the Siberian Federal District, there are a need and reserves to create a cluster of the garment industry. The main methods of the study are the comparative analysis, the expert assessment of the sector in certain regions of the Siberian Federal District, as well as the assessment of possible formation of the industrial cluster in the region. The results of the study are the evaluation of the competitiveness and prospects of the garment industry in Russia and the Siberian Federal District (a low level of development and competitiveness); the evaluation of the development level of the garment industry in the Federal District, which have showed the demand for apparel products from the population and enterprises, as well as the conditions for the provision of clothing manufacture with natural fabrics and synthetic materials, labor resources and research and development achievements; also the justification of the existing potential for development of a sectoral cluster by means of pooling together the productions and economic communications of the Novosibirsk and Omsk regions at the initial stage. The obtained results should be used to strengthen works for the development of regional industrial cluster (with a creation of a working group at the regional governments, the garment industry development programs, and practical measures for its realization), as well as a creation of conditions for stimulation of investment activity of entrepreneurs. The research has confirmed the hypothesis, that in the Siberian Federal District, there are a need and reserves to create a cluster of the garment industry

Clustering tales from the Greek construction sector: lessons from experience

The idea of increasing regional and national economic competitiveness through the implementation of cluster strategies is not something new. In each business sector, in each country, the creation of clusters has been used to capitalise on sector characteristics and address country specific productivity needs. While clusters have met with significant success in many context, the Greek context and in particularly the Greek Construction sector has not been so fruitful. This paper, through the development of a conceptual framework, questionnaires with 92 firms and interviews with 10 key firms, sought to investigate the critical success factors for the creation of a cluster within the challenging context of the Greek construction sector. Using evidence of good practicefrom other European countries facing similar challenges and the empirical data, the findings indicated a series of factors which firms could adopt, mitigate against or manage to help improve the potential success of the cluster. The findingstherefore have important implications for interventions not only by the state and local authorities that will encourage construction firms to participate in a cluster, but also by the managers/owners/practitioners for the creation of the required foundations for their participation in an environment where competitors cooperate

COMPETITION AMONG HOSPITALS AND ITS MEASUREMENT: THEORY AND A CASE STUDY

Our paper provides several insights on the characteristics of the concept of “Poles d’Excellence Rurale” (PER) through bilateral comparisons with that of Competitive Pole (CP) and cluster. The concept of PER is a French government’ initiative designed for the development of rural areas similar to that of the Competitive Pole. We emphasize important particularities of these concepts by analyzing some of their similarities and major differences.Pole d’Excellence Rurale, Competitive Pole, cluster, rural development

GROWTH OF REGIONAL COMPETITIVENESS ON THE INNOVATION BASIS (in Terms of Prydniprovya Region)

The article demonstrates results of studies concerning solving strategic problem of innovative reformation of economy both at national level and at regional one based upon intensive search of theoretical evidence and their implementation on the basis of practical measures as for realization of cluster model of regional development and determination of its key sources of financing.The urgent problems evidence and their implementation on the basis of practical measures as for realization of cluster model of regional development and determination of its key sources of financing