Global Networks And Local Linkages: The Paradox of Cluster Development in an Open Economy (Innovation Systems Research)

This volume presents the final case studies in the Innovation Systems Research Network's (ISRN) five-year investigation of 26 industry clusters across Canada. The contributors describe clusters in regions as diverse as Toronto, Sudbury, and the Okanagan and in industries as varied as biotechnology, tool and die making, and mining services. They argue that in attempting to craft policies that help existing clusters adjust to fundamental differences in institutional linkages, knowledge dimensions, and stages of cluster growth, policy makers must account for historically rooted institutional dynamics and be cognizant of the often overlooked influence of regional culture.