Leveraging Malaysian diaspora for cluster development initiatives
Abstract
Purpose
A large number of East Asian economies have benefited from the diaspora employed in the large North American and European clusters. The diaspora acquired valuable skills, developed contacts and financial wealth. Much has been written about the professional and personal obstacles of brain circulation but scant work has been done to highlight the structural factors influencing brain circulation as well as diaspora strategies in the Malaysian context. This article aims to review the brain circulation theory and pertinent literature on Malaysian clusters and to highlight the structural factors inhibiting diaspora and flow of talent to Malaysia.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a discussion paper on the issues surrounding diaspora strategies.
Findings
On the basis of the review of successful diaspora of China, India, Korea and Taiwan, cluster organizations should take independent initiatives to contact the diaspora networks abroad in order to leverage their skills, contacts and finances through alumni and virtual networks.
Practical implication
Successful diaspora programs in China, Taiwan and India do not guarantee that imitation of those programs will result in success elsewhere.
Originality/value
The article reviews the pertinent literature and highlights the structural factors inhibiting diaspora and flow of talent to Malaysia.
Keywords
Citation
Abu Talib, N., Sofian, S., Azmi Mohamad, N., Amat Senin, A., Abd Kadir, H., Mohd Yusof, H. and Hassan, I. (2012), "Leveraging Malaysian diaspora for cluster development initiatives", Business Strategy Series, Vol. 13 No. 5, pp. 239-247. https://doi.org/10.1108/17515631211264113
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited