Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name:  Oliver Falck
Author-X-Name-First: Oliver
Author-X-Name-Last: Falck

Author-Name:  Stephan Heblich
Author-X-Name-First: Stephan
Author-X-Name-Last: Heblich

Title: Dynamic Clusters
Abstract: Globalization has had an enormous impact on traditional industrial structures. It seems almost
the case that everything is everywhere the same. And yet, in reality, some regions in a single
industrialized country enjoy rapid economic growth while others are downsizing or
stagnating. Thus there must be some remaining regional competitive advantages—even in the
“Age of Globalization.” This paper engages in a quest to discover what these new “locational”
factors might be and how and why they are necessary in creating a dynamic cluster of
regional growth. In doing so, we try to link agglomeration advantages of the new economic
geography with competitive advantages of Porter’s cluster theory. But we also go beyond
these approaches and add further regional growth factors such as creativity or diversity. Using
data that paint a comprehensive picture of industry and regional development in Germany we
try to find empirical evidence for our approach. A case study from the automobile industry –
one of the leading industries in Germany – completes our picture of dynamic clusters.
Length:  31 pages
Creation-Date:  2007-01
File-URL: http://www.bgpe.de/texte/DP/016_falck_heblich.pdf
File-Format: Application/pdf
File-Function: First version, 2007
Number: 016
Classification-JEL: R11, R12, O18, O33
Keywords: Cluster, Regional Growth, Innovation, Creativity
Handle: RePEc:bav:wpaper:016_falck_heblich