What do we know about clusters? In search of effective cluster policies

摘要

Geographical clusters are in the focus of a large breadth of literature and have been discovered as apreferred policy tool by policymakers around the world. The vast literature suggests differing explanationsfor the advantages clusters offer to constituent firms. Yet not all of these explanationshave been empirically confirmed. Before cluster policy can act as a reliable tool for economic policy,there must be a certain degree of clarity about what kind of advantages a cluster can bring toconstituent firms. Therefore, the following article reviews different explanations of cluster advantagesfrom the literature. Its aim is to identify concrete mechanisms through which these advantagesmaterialize. On the basis of these mechanisms the article identifies questions in clustertheory that are still open and defines steps for further research to develop a comprehensive theoryof cluster policy.