Learning from Clusters

• The ‘Cluster’ Model.- A Systematic Perspective on Local Development.- Cluster Dynamics.- Embedded Local Growth: A Theory Taken too Far?.- Beyond the Learning Region: The Dialectics of Innovation and Culture in Territorial Development.- Economic Development, Institutions and Trust.- Social Capital and Regional Development: An Empirical Analysis of the Third Italy.- Regional Innovation Systems, Varieties of Capitalism and Non-Local Relations: Challenges from the Globalising Economy.- Delirious Rotterdam: The Formation of an Innovative Cluster of Architectural Firms.- Competitiveness in Regional Clusters. The Case of Océ's ‘Knowledge Industry Clustering’ Project.- Clustering, Learning and Regional Development.- The Impacts of ICT and Externalities on Urban Development.- Urban Milieux: From Theory to Empirical Findings.- The Spatial Clustering of Knowledge-Intensive Services: Computing Services in the Netherlands.- Dynamic Information Externalities and Employment Growth in the Netherlands.- New Regional Economics: About Virtual Agglomeration Effects.- 'Old’ and ‘New’ Economy and Services.- Economic Capabilities and Strategic Clusters: New Perspectives for National and Regional Economic Policy.- Concluding Remarks.- Further Learning from Clusters.

"Clusters and clustering are popular policy tools much given to critical academic comment. The book explores this paradox, addressing convincingly the shortcomings of the cluster approach to the analysis of and intervention in economic development processes. In doing so, it presents a critical and thought-provoking perspective on the current state of the art. Its most penetrative contributions are on the conceptual and empirical level." (Professor Phil Cooke, Director, Centre for Advanced Studies, Cardiff University) "This book brings together not only interesting new empirical studies of the clustering of economic activity but, more importantly, fresh critique and valuable new departure points for future theoretical and empirical work on this popular topic." (Nick Phelps, Reader, School of Geography, University of Southampton) "Learning from Clusters aims to examine key conceptual and empirical issues concerning clustering, learning, and regional development, assessing the relationship between spatial concentration and innovation. ... is a worthy addition to library shelves, containing much that will be of interest to researchers of regional development and innovation." (Danny MacKinnon, Economic Geography, Vol. 83 (2), 2007)