Relevance and need


Posted by raimund.hudak in category: Setting the research focus
What do we want to study, what is the problem?

The term business cluster, also known as an industry cluster, competitive cluster, or Porterian cluster, was introduced and popularized by Michael Porter in The Competitive Advantage of Nations (1990). The importance of economic geography, or more correctly geographical economics, was also brought to attention by Paul Krugman in Geography and Trade (1991).Cluster development has since become a focus for many government programs. The underlying concept, which economists have referred to as agglomeration economies, dates back to 1890, and the work of Alfred Marshall.
 

    Research focus


    Posted by raimund.hudak in category: Setting the research focus
    What is the focus in the ICT cluster analyses we need to address?

    MichaelPorter claims that clusters have the potential to affect competition in threeways: by increasing the productivity of the companies in the cluster, bydriving innovation in the field, and by stimulating new businesses in thefield. According to Porter, in the modern global economy, comparative advantage- how certain locations have special endowments (i.e., harbor, cheap labor) toovercome heavy input costs - is less relevant. Now, competitive advantage - howcompanies make productive use of inputs, requiring continual innovation - ismore important. Porter argues that economic activities are embedded in socialactivities; that 'social glue binds clusters together. This is supported byrecent research showing that particularly in regional and rural areas,significantly more innovation takes place in communities which have strongerinter-personal networks
     

      Context


      Posted by raimund.hudak in category: Setting the research focus
      What is the context we need to address?

      To sustain cluster performance in the long term, clusters need to manage network openness to business outside the cluster while facilitating strong inter-organisational relationships within the cluster.
       

        Research question


        Posted by raimund.hudak in category: Setting the research focus
        What is the research question?

         

          Literature


          Posted by raimund.hudak in category: Preparation
          Identify key literature on the topic

          Porter,Michael Location, Competition, and Economic Development: Local Clusters in aGlobal Economy|journal=Economic Development Quarterly, vol 14, no.1, 2000 [1]
          Porter, M.E. 1998, Clusters and the new economics of competition, Harvard BusinessReview, Nov/Dec98, Vol. 76 Issue 6
          Porter, M.E.(1990). The Competitive Advantage of Nations. New York: The Free Press.
          Krugman, P.(1991). Geography and Trade. MIT Press.
          Porter,Michael (1998). On Competition. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
           

          Theoretical framework


          Posted by raimund.hudak in category: Preparation
          Elaborate on the role of theory, theoretical framework, related models and methods.

          Following development of the concept of interorganizational networks in Germany and practical development of clusters in the United Kingdom; many perceive there to be four methods by which a cluster can be identified:
          • Geographical cluster - as stated in the automotive     cluster in Germany
          • Sectoral clusters (a cluster of businesses     operating together from within the same commercial sector e.g. pharma     (south east England; ICT ) and aerospace (France, UK and Germany)
          • Horizontal cluster (interconnections between     businesses at a sharing of resources level e.g. knowledge management)
          • Vertical cluster (i.e. a supply chain cluster)
          It is alsoexpected - particularly in the German model of organizational networks - thatinterconnected businesses must interact and have firm actions within at leasttwo separate levels of the organizations concerned
           

            Research approach


            Posted by raimund.hudak in category: Preparation
            Define your research approach, consider validity, reliability, sampling etc.

             

              Prepare instruments


              Posted by raimund.hudak in category: Data Collection
              Define and prepare your research instruments, operationalization etc.

               

                Prepare data


                Posted by raimund.hudak in category: Data Analysis
                Prepare the data and distribute roles for data analysis

                 

                Analyze, Elaborate, iterate


                Posted by raimund.hudak in category: Data Analysis
                Analyse and elaborate on the findings, iterate and reach the key results of your research effort

                 

                  Distribute tasks and roles


                  Posted by raimund.hudak in category: Article writing
                  Distribute tasks and roles for the article writing

                   

                    Write, iterate


                    Posted by raimund.hudak in category: Article writing
                    Analyse data from research paper, compile market information from different sources in order to write the publication and iterate towards a harmonized presentation and / or term paper.


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                    Experiences and Feedback


                    Posted by raimund.hudak in category: Feedback and next steps
                    All stakeholders provide their experiences

                     

                      Submit


                      Posted by raimund.hudak in category: Feedback and next steps
                      Submit your presentation or term paper HERE!