nowEurope

A cluster is definitely not just a heap of companies piled upon each other in one spot under the motto “collaborate!”

Clusters are complex networks with different points of departure and different operative practices, depending on sector and target.

An example: When Sweden started to create clusters, it supported the relocation of companies around large existing industrial complexes so that these could get in close touch with their suppliers. In addition, local universities (partly) adapted their curricula to the needs of these new clusters. The ICT relevant clusters in Sweden were initially dedicated to technologies which are expected to contribute to Sweden’s future development:

• InternetBay
• Mobile Valley
• Linköping/Norrköping Telematics Valley
• TelecomCity
• IT Öresund

Meanwhile the Swedish cluster system is much more elaborate, see also the Swedish Cluster Navigator www.globeaccess.com/web/isa/newton.php?appWidth=1024&appHeight=768

Clusters, if physical (not talking here about virtual clusters)

• can collaborate with a local big player (In Austria many ICT companies have moved close to where Infineon is located in the Southern province of Carinthia, see www.me2c.at) or
• collaborate within a group of local SMEs to compensate each others weaknesses
• form a cluster without mutual collaboration to supply third parties (Austria’s automotive cluster www.acstyria.com mainly focuses German car manufacturers)
• or cluster simply to profit from readymade support structures (Salzburg’s Techno-Z www.techno-z.at provides cheaper office space and joint services)

The problem with SME based ICT clusters is not only the typical European (rather Central and Eastern European, including Austria and Germany) fear of giving too much insight to partners into one’s own business but also the question of “one face to the customer” in a collaboration model: Either one of the SMEs plays the legal representative and thus faces the risk of full responsibility or the cluster creates a legally valid collaboration model. On last week’s ICT show Systems in Munich I talked to a company www.ngroup.info which created a very interesting collaboration model shaped into a GmbH & Co. KG).

The cluster question tackles a major problem for ICT SMEs as they are usually too small to compete with big multinationals but very often offer better solutions. The European Commission should therefore try to solve the small print first before it comes to global solutions. Terms like “mobility” and “collaboration” sound great, but the core problems are elsewhere.

I’d like to see if I’m right.