Clusters are individuals - VDI/VDE-IT

3.2.3 STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES IN TERMS OF NUMBERS OF
CLUSTERS ETC.
Most programs do not have particular strategic objectives in
terms of numbers of clusters that are funded, restrictions on
thematic areas and coverage of the most important business
sectors (see Table 10).
If there are such strategic objectives then they are motivated
by the interest in a consolidated cluster landscape (e.g. in
the case of Innovation Networks Denmark it was decided to
limit the number of nationwide clusters) or in the concentration
of efforts on the most important business sectors of
the economy (e.g. Innovation Networks Denmark, the Norwegian
Centres of Expertise program or the Cluster Policy
Strategy of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg).
If a decision was taken to limit the number of clusters per
thematic area it was motivated by concentrating efforts on
specific clusters to increase the efficiency and effectiveness
of the program and to increase the critical mass, the impact
and the quality of the individual cluster organizations. To
varying degrees this motivation has also informed the decisions
of program owners who have decided for strategic
limitations with regard to the total number of cluster that
should be supported.
With regard to the limitation of numbers of clusters per thematic
area some program owners pointed out that one has
to balance between the interest in concentrating resources
for the benefit of efficiency and effectiveness and the potential
economic benefits that result from competition between
clusters in the same thematic area.
When looking at the overall cluster policy of the country
and the program in particular is there a strategy/objective
with regard to cluster landscape in terms of …
NAME OF THE PROGRAM
… the total
number of
clusters
… limitations
in numbers per
thematic area
… of covering the
most important
business sectors of
the economy
Innovation Networks Denmark Yes Yes Yes
Competence Networks Germany No No No
Norwegian Centres of Expertise (NCE) Yes No Yes
Arena Program No No Yes
Vinnväxt No No No
Regional Cluster Program No No No
OSKE – Centres of Expertise Program Yes Yes Yes
SHOK – Strategic Centres for Science,
Technology and Innovation
No No No
Polish Cluster Support No No No
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