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The purpose of this paper is to analyze the dynamics of China's health biotech clusters from an interregional perspective. By treating clustering as the result of firms' localization choices, the paper examines whether and why different types of firms agglomerate in the various locations.

The paper employs a demographic approach that is inspired by the 2006 work of Romanelli and Feldman on cluster development in the USA. It categorizes China's clusters based on differences in the degree of policy support and the nature of the science base. Then, it draws a sample of 75 of China's most visible firms and analyses them in terms of entrepreneurial origin, their location and, if applicable, the location of their subsidiaries. By matching types of firms with types of clusters, the paper highlights some characteristics of China's regional development.

Studies on China's high‐tech agglomerations unanimously complain about a lack of “creative buzz” compared to the vibrant clusters of for example, the Bay Area in the USA. The analysis indicates that the lack of a creative culture is associated with the anatomy of cluster development. China's clusters grow to a significant extent by attracting enterprise subsidiaries to their sites. The authors argue that these particular cluster anatomies are founded on China's capital market. As the capital market is not prepared to provide pre‐revenue firms with sufficient funds, firms have to earn revenue quickly in order to ensure their viability. Therefore, they concentrate on building up manufacturing capacity and exploiting given technologies. The main point is that local governments as major providers of financial support are instrumental in this process. The establishment of manufacturing subsidiaries in various locations rests on the rationale of collecting funds. This leads to the conclusion that national capital markets either reinforce or inhibit clustering depending on how much it allows the mobility of financial capital. Local government funds do not travel far. This has an impact on the firms' localization decisions and their business strategies, which, in turn, affects the “culture” inside the clusters.

This argument is based on a limited number of interviews conducted by the authors or other researchers. In order to corroborate the link between the capital market and local development trajectories, more evidence needs to be collected via interview surveys and other means to extract financial information.

Unlike other research on Chinese clusters, this paper offers an interregional perspective based on a demographic approach. The argument is original in linking regional cluster dynamics with the national institutional set‐up.

Purpose – The purpose of this chapter is to advance understanding of regional industry or innovation clusters and the opportunities that the cluster framework provides policymakers for delivering economic impact, clarifying economic priorities, and coordinating disparate programmatic efforts, and to articulate some basic principles for formulating cluster strategies.

Methodology/approach – As the cluster concept enters its third decade and the body of related literature reaches a new level of maturity a consensus has emerged among academics and policy thinkers on the economic benefits of clusters. In fact, clusters have emerged as major focus of economic and policy discussion just now – in what the authors dub a “cluster moment” – by dint of their demonstrated practical impact, their value in paradigm discussions, and their potential utility in policy reform. The chapter reviews the benefits of clusters and traces their ascendance – and re-emergence post-recession – among policy thinkers.

Findings – New research confirms that strong clusters tend to deliver positive benefits to workers, firms, and regions. As a paradigm, they reflect the nature of the real economy and as a matter of policymaking, clusters provide a framework for rethinking and refocusing economic policy. In pursuing cluster-based economic development strategies, policy leaders should not try to create clusters; use data to target interventions, drive design, and track performance; focus initiatives on addressing discrete gaps in performance or binding constraints on cluster growth; maximize impact by leveraging pre-existing cluster-relevant programs; align efforts vertically as well as horizontally; and let the private sector lead. All three tiers of the nation's federalist system have distinct and complementary roles to play in advancing the cluster paradigm.

Research limitations/implications (if applicable) – The paper includes no new/original data.

Practical implications (if applicable) – Given that clusters have emerged as a major focus of economics and policy, this chapter lays out a core set of general principles for pursuing cluster-based economic development strategies – and for avoiding common pitfalls – to which policymakers can adhere.

Originality/value of paper – The chapter advances cluster thinking and cluster strategies as a paradigm with the potential to accelerate regional economic growth and assist with the nation's needed restructuring and rebalancing toward a more productive post-recession economy.

This chapter explores some examples of good and not-so-good practices implemented worldwide, especially in Southern Europe, in Creative Tourism activities developed by entrepreneurs. The case studies used in the present chapter are located either in urban territories, small cities or rural areas. The global market introduces some difficulties in achieving good practices, highlighting the need to improve solid partnerships. The support from private and public sectors to institutions and enterprises developing creative tourism activities is analysed. Administrative and economic difficulties are also considered, and some proposals for the future survival of institutions and enterprises. In a global market, the definition of clusters is playing an increasing role in the survival of local and regional economies. In the tourism market, where seasonality is also a significant problem with difficult resolution, creating clusters can also be a great tool to contradict this. However, the success of implementing clusters in the tourism market depends on strong leadership and in-depth monitoring of results planned to be achieved. The present chapter considers clustering in Creative Tourism and the difficulties of implementing it in South Europe. Cultural and organisational issues are highlighted, as well as the need to construct thematic clusters that feature the needs of tourists.

This paper aims to show the possibilities of implementing the idea of sustainability in the context of energy transformation using the concept of an industrial cluster. The implementation of the idea of sustainability is of particular importance from the perspective of the functioning of the meta-organisations involved in the implementation and promotion of decarbonisation processes. Industrial clusters, as collective actors initiating collective actions and providing complex governance structures, seem to have a great fit with regard to the needs of disseminating and implementing the idea of sustainable development, also in conjunction with energy development.

Empirical evidence is derived from a case study of Mazovia Clustes ICT (MC ICT). Based on the experience of this cluster, this study wants to show the evolution of the industrial cluster through the prism of its growing activity in supporting energy transition. The authors conducted the research in the period 2022–2023 using in-depth personal interviews and an analysis of the secondary data. The primary technique for data analysis and interpretation was conventional qualitative content analysis.

As a result of this study, the authors have distinguished three main areas of cluster activity covering the strategic, operational/project and institutional levels. Within the first area, the cluster’s efforts focused on the development of a strategy and involvement in lobbying and co-legislating. The second area refers to the cluster’s activity in the carrying out of national and transnational projects on the creation and implementation of various energy solutions. The activities undertaken in the third area include support for the development of start-ups in the field of energy and involvement in the launch of an energy cluster and the development of distributed energy in Poland. Although the strategic and operational/project levels are characterised by a commonality of activities and goals, there is additionally a commonality of interests at the institutional level.

This paper has its limitations, which primarily relate to the small research sample (the choice of a case study as the main research strategy) and the methods used (qualitative research). Therefore, it is impossible to generalise the results to the entire population of clusters.

This paper has considerable practical value, as the results of this study may be relevant for public authorities interested in implementing energy transition through industrial clusters. The activities described can also be a source of inspiration for other clusters interested in shaping pro-environmental attitudes.

The cluster’s activities are closely linked to the three pillars of sustainable development, including the social pillar. The solutions developed within the cluster in the context of energy development are aimed not only at increasing energy efficiency and protecting the environment but also at broader social welfare.

This paper makes an additional contribution to the state-of-the-art of the industrial cluster concept by linking it to the idea of sustainable development, in the context of energy transformation. In addition, it sheds new light on issues related to cluster co-operation, combining the case of the industrial cluster with the very fresh and as yet poorly described idea of the energy cluster.

This paper aims to review tourism cluster initiatives in Russia, particularly, tourism cluster formation processes, and investigate the role of local and federal government in promoting domestic tourism destinations with the help of tourism clusters.

This paper is formulated using a case study approach based on the lessons learned and the common practices in the Vologda region of the Russian Federation. Some results and key findings from field research were also used in the paper, as well as analysis of local and federal government activities, in attempting to promote domestic tourism in Russia.

Based on the analyses of the case study and review of common practices of tourism cluster creation and management, the paper draws on a review of the Vologda tourism cluster and profiles its main characteristic features: The context of “cluster” in Russian economy; Vologda tourism cluster was created by state initiative; Vologda tourism cluster indeed has its unique set of local (natural) competitive advantages; The rights of private companies (cluster members) are only consultative; Considerable funds are allocated by the Russian Federal Government and local government to cluster development; Vologda cluster is in an initial stage of formation, by the number and composition of members, Vologda cluster could be defined as a small cluster; There are no established cluster-specific quality of service standards; There is no defined cluster core in Vologda cluster; Cluster efficiency is measured by a set of metrics (gain in number of tourists, hotel rooms, etc.); Among the factors limiting Vologda cluster development, disunity on the federal and local government levels is substantial.

This paper is currently limited in scope to the Vologda region case study and some results and key findings from field research selected by the researchers. The conditions for the selected case studies may not be identical in other Russian tourism clusters and locations (such as the Altay region cluster), and thus, the findings cannot be applied to other Russian tourism clusters without comparison studies.

The main output of this paper is a review of Russian tourism cluster formation and development based on the example of the Vologda region. It is of value to practitioners, researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders specializing in cluster research and tourism cluster development.

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, it aims at reconciling the literature on creating shared value (CSV) with the one on cluster development, searching for complementarities and similarities. Second, it aims at understanding the role of cluster development in CSV. For these reasons, the authors operationalized the general idea of cluster development with the widely accepted concept of cluster initiatives, i.e. systematic efforts aimed at cluster development. The authors focused on exploring the process of launching and supporting local cluster initiatives through empirical evidence. In particular, the authors aimed at analyzing how a CSV strategy can be defined and developed when adopted within a cluster initiative.

The research draws on a critical review of the literature focusing on CSV and on a conceptual reconciliation between the literature on the CSV ecosystem with the one on clusters, and more specifically on those initial cluster initiatives. The authors relied on an exploratory case study of an Italian cluster initiative in CSV, i.e. the Science and Innovation Food District (SIFooD) cluster promoted by Whirlpool. Thanks to the richness and great availability of information about the case, this study primarily relied on the use of secondary data.

The case of SIFooD has highlighted how Whirlpool promoted the cluster initiative within its CSV framework to achieve sustainable and collaborative innovation in food waste prevention and, conversely, how SIFooD enhanced CSV of its cluster members. To arrange its network development process, SIFooD has implemented all the elements that prior literature has considered fundamental for launching and supporting a successful cluster initiative. On the other hand, SIFooD was able to adopt a collective-impact approach, implementing the five elements needed in its ecosystem to create shared value. Moreover, thanks to all the activities comprised in the SIFooD cluster initiative, shared value was actually created.

The present paper has some limitations. First of all, the empirical analysis focuses only on one cluster initiative; thus, cross/comparative analyses with other cluster initiatives may illuminate the findings better. Second, the authors relied on a very recent cluster initiative in a particular field (food waste prevention) and in one specific institutional context (Italy); thus, data may suffer from temporal, industrial and geographical biases.

Literature on the border between CSV and clusters is still in its infancy and almost nothing is known about their relationship, despite them being intimately related since the inception of this field. The paper qualifies for a very first attempt to understand how firms promote clusters, through cluster initiatives, for the sake of CSV and how clusters may enhance CSV of firms.

The purpose of this paper is to develop and test models explaining the unsatisfactory innovation activity of Russian firms and the main obstacles to innovation cluster development.

Based on statistical analysis and the results of a pilot survey of 192 local businessmen, followed by imitation modeling analysis, the study tests hypotheses regarding the impact of unsatisfactory institutional environments, including weak property rights protection, on innovation cluster development in Russia.

The analysis shows that the impact of adverse factors on innovation activities of cluster members is crucial, and estimates to what extent the negative factors' influence should be reduced to prevent cluster degradation processes.

The models provide a number of sensitivity tests of the parameters; however, data from clusters with different levels of support and protection need to be obtained. Government experiments could be conducted to test the models and find ranges of optimal parameters for cluster development. Short of this, examination of actual data from different cluster in similar environments would allow estimated of optimal strategies for support. Longitudinal data can also help determine the actual cause and effect of successful innovation cluster development.

The paper provides managerial implications for organizations involved in innovation clusters, which can be used to improve cluster members' performance and collaborative innovation activities by means of creating acceptable institutional environments.

The paper provides evidence of the connection between collaborative activities of clustering organizations in Russia and their performance caused by expectations concerning institutional conditions on the macro level in Russia.

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that synergy between firms and local institutions may lead to success even in an economic environment which cannot offer competitive advantages to high tech industrial clustering. However, the condition for such a complex result is convergence between cluster‐based regional development policy, the related industry national strategy and the central government preferential policy for less developed areas.

The experiences selected as case studies are the Xi'an National Civil Aerospace Base in Shaanxi Province (China) and CampaniAerospace in Campania region (Italy). As information was gathered both through policy documents (China and Italy) and direct interviews to cluster's stakeholders (Italy), the outcome is, according to the criteria suggested by Eisenhardt and Yin, a qualitative research. Comparing economic data provided by the respective countries' Statistical Offices, the authors assessed that Shaanxi Province and the Campania region share a “peripheral” position within their respective national context. Starting from this, the authors analyzed the formal documents which reported the experience of the two clusters.

The finding is that the outcome (the status of cluster which is assumed as “a value in itself”) of the convergence between firms' will to gain agglomeration advantages and the policymakers' plan to redress interregional economic disparities is definitely not an efficiency‐driven process. In the high tech sectors which are very sensitive to the increasing competition for technology on the international market, the pursuit of efficiency may, on the contrary, be dissipated.

As attested by the comparative literature, aims and performance of industrial clusters differ in accordance with the stage of economic development as well as the institutional and regulatory framework. The paper demonstrates, however, that in the take‐off stage, it is the position occupied by the host region within the national context which determines the behaviour of the actors concerned as well as the outcome of their commitment.

This study aims to investigate the prospects for cluster modeling of ethno-tourism development in Russian regions.

This study uses the methods of system and comparative analysis, mathematical statistics, managerial diagnostics, expert estimates, in-depth interview, cluster method and social and psychological testing.

A significant number of Russian and international researchers study the problem of cluster and network interaction in economics using different perspectives. Special attention should be paid to the theory of cluster and network interaction in the field of tourism. This theory establishes the framework for the formulation of the concept of regional tourism development. The author believes that the concept should be developed using network forms of interaction in the field.

The government should support cluster initiatives to improve the competitiveness of the country in the field of tourism. Further, this cluster policy should include tourist centers with the best prospects, as they are capable of stimulating the country’s economy, and develop a legal framework to provide cluster initiatives support. Otherwise, cluster and network modeling is likely to fail. Another limitation is the negative attitude of local and conventional religious communities toward the ideas of ethno-tourism issues; the best example is the included case study from Mari El Republic, Russia.

Given the wide ethic, cultural and geographical differences within the Russian Federation, it is helpful to develop a spatial model of cluster and network organization for tourism based on selection of the areas that feature unique natural and recreational potential in addition to historical and cultural attractiveness. These areas can be viewed as places where various cluster tourist initiatives and local tourist clusters can be implemented. The use of ethno-tourism as a base concept for local tourism development in the region is bound to make the region more attractive for investors and, thus, support and promote interest in the unique culture of the indigenous peoples.

State capitalism is an economic model that relies on the role of a strong central government to support chosen firms and industries with subsidies, tax benefits and other advantages to which non-favored firms or industries do not have access (Bremmer, 2010). From an economic development perspective state capitalism is often used to redirect economic activity to underdeveloped regions (Wickham, 2009; Chobanyan and Leigh, 2006; Porter, 2008). The purpose of this paper is to examine the case of the Brazilian shipbuilding to illustrate the use of state capitalism to direct economic activity.

Using Porter’s diamond factor model the authors analyze the development of an economic cluster focussed on the shipbuilding industry in northeastern Brazil. Using interviews with company executives and archival information, the authors profile the investments and incentives that the government has made in this region with particular attention to the mechanisms and policy directives designed to support local involvement in cluster activity.

The authors find that the Brazilian shipbuilding industry offers a unique perspective on the role that governments play in the inducement of economic activity. The authors document the challenges that confront the local enterprise in meeting the requirements of the state controlled buyer and the difficulties associated with developing a local supplier base and finding a qualified workforce. The authors conclude with comments with regard to the applicability of this model to economic development activity in other country contexts.

This research adds to the body of literature on the role of governments in the creation of economic clusters.

Economic development in emerging markets is often associated with strong government intervention. The authors use the Brazilian shipbuilding industry to illustrate the role of a state owned enterprise in facilitation of economic development.

Some countries may suffer from what has been known as the “resource curse,” that is, the misallocation of resource wealth into non-productive activities. In this paper, the authors illustrate and attempt by the Brazilian government to use this wealth to create employment opportunities in an underdeveloped region of the country.

Emerging markets are challenged in developing viable enterprises that are competitive in global markets. Most research on the development of industrial clusters is focussed on developed markets. These markets do not have to confront the same challenges found in emerging markets. The research illustrates these challenges and the efforts that may be made to surmount them.