The Importance of Clusters for Sustainable Innovation Processes: The Context of Small and Medium Sized Regions

The purpose of the current paper is to provide a critical state-of-the-art review of current research on clusters and its correlation to innovation dynamics in small and medium-sized regions. In particular, we focus on the systematization of the main concepts and theoretical insights that are tributary to the cluster overview in terms of its relevance for the sustainability of the innovation processes, knowledge production and diffusion, which take place inside small and medium-sized regions. The present working paper takes into account the initial studies on English industrial districts (in the nineteenth century), passing through the Italian industrial districts (in the 70s and 80s of the twentieth century), until the modern theories of business clusters and innovation systems. These frameworks constitute the basis of an approach to endogenous development, which gives a central role to the interaction between economic actors, the society and the institutions and to the identification, mobilization and combination of potential resources within a particular geographical area.Cluster; Innovation; Endogenous development; Territory.

Contributions towards a Cluster Strategy for the Sea in the Algarve

This article advocates the relevance and crucial need for a strategic vision of the Algarve based on a cluster approach for its economy of the sea. The article reviews the literature on clusters and relevant topics related and relevant to that issue. It starts by summarizing the scope and structure of the article, followed by a theoretical framework, which highlight the key features and benefits associated with the cluster approach taken, the role of knowledge - intensive service activities as key drivers for innovation and entrepreneurship, taken as critical factors for successful cluster strategy advocated, along with the networking and cooperation, innovation systems and the importance of knowledge spillovers for knowledge management within the cluster

The idiosyncratic nature of maritime clusters : considerations for their possible differentiation

The main objective of the current paper is to distinguish the most relevant aspects which can or should be observed in maritime clusters and are most likely to contribute to their inherent idiosyncratic nature. Based on a literature survey and on a benchmarking presentation of four successful examples of European maritime clusters, we use a study research methodology to substantiate the proposal of a possible differentiation framework for these types of clusters. Our purpose is to point out some of the main characteristics and critical factors for success that are inherent to maritime clusters. Although rarely addressed among the various authors considered in the literature review, our intention is to find out what distinctive competitiveness factors should be considered in a targeted multi-sectorial cluster approach to the economy of the sea, i.e. those that are likely to influence the creation, sustainable development and resilience of successful maritime cluster

Análise das alterações ao nível da estrutura das explorações agrícolas da Região Algarve e respectivo tecido empresarial, decorrentes da aplicação dos apoios comunitários, com especial incidência no período 1994/99

Dissertação de mest., Gestão Empresarial, Faculdade de Economia, Univ. do Algarve, 2001Com o presente trabalho de dissertação, pretendeu-se fazer uma avaliação do impacte, ao nível da estrutura e realidade sócio - económica das explorações agrícolas da Região do Algarve, da aplicação dos fundos estruturais, particularmente no período de vigência do Segundo Quadro Comunitário de Apoio (1994-99). No Capítulo Introdutório, procede-se ao enunciado da tese, explicita-se o seu enquadramento conceptual, as directrizes em torno das quais esta dissertação foi construída. Ao longo do Capítulo Primeiro, refere-se a abordagem, caracterização e fundamentação das escolhas metodológicas realizadas neste trabalho para efeitos de recolha e processamento da informação utilizada. No Capítulo Segundo, procede-se à avaliação global do modo como esses montantes foram aplicados, por forma a aferir das suas repercussões ao nível do aumento das valências das explorações agrícolas e respectivo tecido empresarial. Procurou-se avaliar o grau de concretização das metas traçadas a priori, aquando do lançamento do Segundo Quadro Comunitário de Apoio para o sector agrícola, e encontrar possíveis explicações para os desfasamentos verificados. No Capítulo Terceiro do presente trabalho, promoveu-se uma reflexão sobre a eficácia desses apoios na resolução dos constrangimentos estruturais das explorações agrícolas de três sectores considerados nevrálgicos no contexto da agricultura algarvia - citricultura, horticultura e pomar tradicional de sequeiro (na vertente dos frutos secos), por forma a avaliar, por um lado, o pragmatismo demonstrado pelos empresários desses sub-sectores e respectivas associações na utilização eficiente desses recursos, e por outro, a adequação estrutural dessas mesmas ajudas face aos problemas específicos das várias fileiras em presença. Procede-se, igualmente, à análise dos processos de transmissão de preços ao longo dos vários estádios dessas fileiras, por forma a aquilatar da capacidade de influência detida pelos diferentes agentes em presença no processo da fileira. No Capítulo Quarto, tendo como pano de fundo alguns dos resultados apresentados e a análise SWOT efectuada, procedeu-se ao delineamento de um conjunto de possíveis linhas de orientação, tendentes a obviar alguns dos problemas detectados. Paralelamente, e atendendo à importância crucial do factor água, apresenta-se uma avaliação da situação actual e possíveis linhas de intervenção futura ao nível de duas importantes infraestruturas de apoio ao regadio sediadas no Algarve. Por último, no Capítulo Final, refere-se um conjunto de considerações finais, numa perspectiva de continuidade e mudança face ao Terceiro Quadro Comunitário de Apoio actualmente em vigor

Innovation for Sustainability and Networking

Throughout human history, innovation has been the main factor in adapting humanity to its settings. On the basis of earlier practice, human creativity allows the finding of new, permanent ways to do things. their applications encourage new spaces, new necessities and new lifestyles. Innovation has been an element of human capacities from its earlier stages, but it has been recognized only recently as a clear device of social and economic change

Fisheries and Climate Change: Inevitability or Prophylaxis? Contributing to a Necessary Debate

Climate changes constitute the greatest challenge of this century due to the modifications they cause in weather and environmental conditions, and thus affecting the social and economic dynamics at multiple levels. Because all invertebrates and fish used for human consumption are poikilotherms, they are very sensitive to modifications in the environment, namely temperature and levels of oxygen. Phenomena like temperature rising, acidification, ocean stratification and changes in salinity are already perceptible and susceptible of causing severe consequences in aquatic ecosystems. Falling productivity, species migration and localized extinctions, as well as conflict over the use of scarce resources and increased risks associated with more extreme climatic events are among the possible consequences. Increased climate variability justifies a focus on the design and promotion of strategies to control the inherent risk and increase the resilience of marine and freshwater systems that strongly affect the livelihoods of millions of human beings worldwide. A multidimensional and holistic concept for the sustainable management of maritime and marine resources is indissociable from the unequivocal evidence of climate changes. Raising awareness of public in general and ocean stakeholders for the relevance of the topic at hand are assumed as key dimensions with the present article

O cluster do mar no Algarve: contributos para uma visão estratégica das pescas e da aquicultura

Com o presente trabalho de dissertação, pretendeu-se avaliar e validar a importância de uma estratégia de cluster para a Economia do Mar no Algarve. Com base na pesquisa e compilação de dados secundários e no tratamento de informação primária, recolhida por intermédio de inquéritos a empresas ligadas à Economia do Mar no Algarve, subsequentemente submetidas a validação por um painel de stakeholders institucionais de organismos regionais com atribuições nesta área, e culminando na realização de um exercício Delphi para efeitos de apreciação de algumas das principais inferências extraídas do trabalho desenvolvido, avultam, entre outros, como principais contributos aportados por esta tese: a proposta de um programa de acção para a criação/consolidação do Cluster “Mar do Algarve”; o modelo de arquitectura idealizado para esse mesmo cluster, compreendendo as componentes estruturais (sectores de actividade económica e stakeholders) e os factores distintivos regionais perceptíveis à data; e o circuito do conhecimento no processo de crescimento sustentável, preconizado para o cluster em apreço; ### ABSTRACT: The aim of this PhD thesis is to evaluate and validate the importance of a cluster strategy for the sea related activities in the Algarve, based on a literature review and empirical studies conducted over a sample of firms from maritime sectors. As major outcomes resulting from this thesis, we highlight, among others: the evaluation of Algarve’s current situation on relation to the structural dimensions of a cluster; an action program towards the creation and consolidation of the maritime cluster of Algarve; and the architectural model for the cluster, comprising its structural components (maritime sectors and stakeholders) and the comparative advantages relevant to the present time. Both the action program as the architectural model, are the result of a validation process done by a group of policy decision stakeholders regionally located. Finally, some of the main structural components of the thesis, for instance, the specific objectives, propositions and preliminary conclusions, will be submitted to a Delphi panel of national experts

The importance of clusters for sustainable innovation processes: the context of small and medium sized regions

The purpose of the current paper is to provide a critical state-of-the-art review of current research on clusters and its correlation to innovation dynamics in small and medium-sized regions. In particular, we focus on the systematization of the main concepts and theoretical insights that are tributary to the cluster overview in terms of its relevance for the sustainability of the innovation processes, knowledge production and diffusion, which take place inside small and medium-sized regions. The present working paper takes into account the initial studies on English industrial districts (in the nineteenth century), passing through the Italian industrial districts (in the 70s and 80s of the twentieth century), until the modern theories of business clusters and innovation systems. These frameworks constitute the basis of an approach to endogenous development, which gives a central role to the interaction between economic actors, the society and the institutions and to the identification, mobilization and combination of potential resources within a particular geographical area

The knowledge - intensive service activities (KISA) as key driver for innovation and entrepreneurship: a case study for the cluster of the sea in Algarve

The main purpose of the current paper is to evaluate the contribution of knowledge - intensive service activities (KISA) as a key driver for innovation and entrepreneurship in the context of a cluster approach for the economy of the sea in Algarve. We intend to analyse the central role played by these interaction processes on the generation of learning organizations and on inducing cross fertilization phenomena among the various actors of the cluster