New Roles for Supporting Organizations in Clusters: Enhancing Connectedness in Knowledge Networks

Jose Antonio Belso-Martinez (), Maria Jose Lopez-Sanchez and Rosario Mateu-Garcia
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Jose Antonio Belso-Martinez: University Miguel Hernandez
Maria Jose Lopez-Sanchez: University Miguel Hernandez
Rosario Mateu-Garcia: University Miguel Hernandez

A chapter in Agglomeration and Firm Performance, 2018, pp 189-204 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract In today’s context of economic crisis, certain structures such as industrial clusters have been forced to change in order to remain competitive. For years, local supporting organizations have been focused on strengthening cluster networks, providing specialized services, and fostering innovation practices. Nowadays, thanks to their increasing connectivity, supporting organizations have become hybridizers and catalyzers of knowledge that spreads among local firms after an intense process of refinement. Acting as mediators between local firms and gatekeepers of extra-cluster knowledge, they smooth firms’ access to fresh knowledge and nourish the innovativeness of the system. Using data collected in the Toy Valley cluster during 2014, this chapter looks at the mechanisms allowing supporting organizations to successfully diffuse knowledge and pays attention to these two in-between positions. In line with previous research, findings corroborate the particular relevance of facilitators of knowledge. However, important differences emerge when considering the profile of the local organization and the type of knowledge shared.

Keywords: Clusters; SME’s; Supporting organizations; Networks; Gatekeepers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:adspcp:978-3-319-90575-4_11

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-90575-4_11

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