1887

Clusters, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

image of Clusters, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

This publication explores the success of major innovation and entrepreneurship clusters in OECD countries, the challenges they now face in sustaining their positions and the lessons for other places seeking to build successful clusters.  What are the key factors for cluster success?  What problems are emerging on the horizon? Which is the appropriate role of the public sector in supporting the expansion of  clusters and overcoming the obstacles?

The book addresses these and other issues, analysing seven internationally reputed clusters in depth: Grenoble in France, Vienna in Austria, Waterloo in Canada, Dunedin in New Zealand, Medicon Valley in Scandinavia, Oxfordshire in the United Kingdom, and Madison, Wisconsin, in the United States.  For each cluster, it looks at the factors that have contributed to its growth, the impact of the cluster on local entrepreneurship performance, and the challenges faced for further expansion.  It also puts forward a set of policy recommendations geared to the broader context of cluster development.

This publication is essential reading for policy makers, practitioners and academics wishing to obtain good practices in cluster development and guidance on how  to enhance the economic impact of clusters.

 

English Also available in: French

The ICT Cluster of Waterloo, Canada

This chapter illustrates the approach and initiatives of the entrepreneurial university in Waterloo in building the region’s information and communications technology (ICT) cluster. The creation of spin-offs seems to be encouraged by a series of policies implemented in the university, among students and academia. This case study is also a good example of collaboration between university and industry to meet the demands of the cluster labour market concerning skills. The adaptation of the university to the needs of industry, and the tight co-operation between industry and university in training and developing specific skills in students, have had a positive impact on the development of the cluster. This chapter also shows how flexible intellectual property regulations at the university play an important role in stimulating innovation, collaboration and business creation.

English

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error