Clusters are individuals - VDI/VDE-IT

CLUSTER POLICY STRATEGY
Guidelines for cluster
initiatives
Standardized
evaluation system
Further development
of the cluster initiative
portfolio
General cluster
policy public
relations
Cross-cluster
networks
Cross-cluster
projects
Source: Behörde für Wirtschaft, Verkehr und Innovation, 2011
Figure 30: Elements of the cluster policy strategy
According to responsible government officials, cluster policy
is a very important element both in the context of the overall
economic development strategy of the City of Hamburg
and with regard to the existing R&D and innovation
programs (see table below).
How important is the cluster program in relation to… 0 1 2 3 4
…the overall regional economic/industrial development strategy • • • • X
…other R&D/innovation programs • • • • X
0 = not important at all ==> 4 = very important
Table 24: Relevance of the cluster policy strategy in the overall
policy setting
Responsibility for cluster policy is shared between different
government ministries within the Free and Hanseatic City
of Hamburg (see figure below). While technical steering
and financing of the cluster initiatives lies with various government
ministries, overall coordination of cluster policy is
the responsibility of the Staff Unit Cluster Policy within the
Ministry of Economics, Transport and Innovation. To coordinate
activities and facilitate best-practice sharing between
the different government departments and
cluster initiatives, a working group was established in 2010,
chaired by the Staff Unit Cluster Policy of the Ministry of
Economics, Transport and Innovation. The working group
focuses in particular on thematic issues such as R&D and
innovation, training and education, internationalization
and strategy and controlling. It further coordinates inter
cluster-projects to facilitate cross-fertilization for the development
of new innovations and markets.
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