Clusters and competitiveness - PRO INNO Europe

Cluster policy, understood as a series of industrial and business policy initiatives aimed at
improving the competitive efficiency of a group of companies through strategic rethinking,
and their continuous adaptation to the challenges of the global market, began to be
developed by the Catalan government in 1993.
Shortly before, in 1990, Michael Porter had published The Competitive Advantage of Nations,
the book which paved the way for the use of clusters as a public policy tool for boosting
competitiveness.
Catalonia was therefore one of the first regions in the world to use a methodology aimed
at boosting competitiveness in a geographical area by improving the strategy and working
environment of its companies 48 , and this effort was recognised by Michael Porter himself in
his work On Competition (1998).
However, much has happened since 1993. Now that cluster policy has achieved undeniable
prominence everywhere, and it is said that, worldwide, there are currently in progress over
3,000 competitiveness reinforcement initiatives based on the use of this industrial and
business policy tool, it seemed reasonable to reflect on our experience and to suggest
alternatives for the future.
Such has been the aim of this book, which has basically reviewed the cluster policy
implemented by the Catalan government from the start, has critically examined its results
and has provided a frame of reference for its future.
This book has explained the main limitations detected to date in applying this line of
public policy, as well as the successive measures adopted to improve the outcomes of
the competitiveness reinforcement initiatives promoted within its framework. But these
limitations cannot hide the fact that the overall balance of the process that began way back
in 1993 is positive.
Among other results, companies involved in the initiatives have been able to reflect on their
strategies, a highly important aspect that, unfortunately, is often forgotten in the everyday
pressure of business; they have seen joint initiatives promoted so that they can compete
48 Catalonia, Scotland, the Basque Country and some American states such as Massachusetts, California and Arizona were the first places
to define and implement cluster policies according to Michael Porter’s concept.
112 CLUSTERS AND COMPETITIVENESS: THE CASE OF CATALONIA (1993-2010)