University of Vaasa - Vaasan yliopisto

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group of interconnected enterprises and associated institutions (Porter, 2000). As
literature poses (Becattini, 1979 and 1999, Piore e Sabel, 1987, Piore, 1991) the
cluster organizational structure and culture is characterized by the presence of a
relational environment made up of systematic business and non-business relations
among the local actors, sharing, in addition, a collective identity based on common
values also with respect to the way business is run. In clusters, SMEs have similar
social and environmental impacts; they have similar interactions with the local
stakeholders and often they face common social and environmental pressures by
stakeholders. Addressing these issues collectively can reduce the cost of action and
result in improvements that an individual SME acting alone cannot achieve
(European Commission, 2007). Therefore, on the one hand, in these productive
areas, the high concentration of SMEs with similar production processes and their
interactions with firms in the local supply chain often cause significant social and
environmental problems which need an integrated management in order to prevent
negative “cumulative” externalities on CSR-related issues. On the other hand, a
network approach to CSR can be facilitated and enhanced within clusters because
local enterprises can benefit from the synergy and positive externalities that operate
at the cluster level: the possibility of defining common policies and strategies relying
on the similarity of their productive activities, their relations with the same local
stakeholders (community, institutions, control bodies, etc.) and, consequently, their
need to deal with the same needs and requests regarding CSR.
From this point of view, an active role in this process could be played really by the
so-called “intermediate institutions”; they include: sector and trade associations,
consortia, chambers of commerce, development agencies, business clubs and SME
associations at local/regional/national level; business advisors (private and public
funded); business incubators (European Commission 2007; Frey and Iraldo, 2008).
They are defined as “intermediate” since they operate between firms and local
community, local economics and local politics. These institutions have a promoter
role in industrial clusters, with regard to the integration of social values (Trigilia,
1991) and facilitating the development of the firms of the network. They stimulate
the innovation processes on cluster scale; they influence the promotion of shared
strategies among firms; they tackle cluster’s problems, at normative and practical
levels. These intermediate institutions can play a key-role also for the
implementation and diffusion of CSR policies among cluster’s firms.
Research Design
Our research is based on the experience of the COOPERATE Project (COmpanies
OPErating in a Responsible Area and with Transparent Ethics) 9 , co-financed by the
European Commission (DG Enterprise&Industry) within the Mainstreaming CSR
among SMEs EU Programme. The aim of the research was to promote and spread
CSR concepts, practices and tools among SMEs operating in industrial clusters in
Tuscany Region (Italy), in particular by relying on strong, consolidated and trusted
information channels and knowledge-sharing networks and by emphasizing the CSRoriented
business strategies as a relevant competitive opportunity for SMEs. The
9 www.cooperateproject.sssup.it