I had the privilege of attending the CITT project meeting at Bratislava on June 6, 2009. This experience led me to consider what is the optimal model for building a cluster.
In running clusters, we can see two basic models. One is strongly business oriented, where a cluster is almost like a holding company with central leadership. It has its own business department. Individual cluster members are rather like branches of this holding company, responsible for specific parts of a well-defined business deal.
The second model is more like an ad hoc network of independent organizations, where members cooperate on various projects. Not all members have to collaborate in all running projects. I should point out that in the Czech Republic, this second model is supported by structural funding.
I also support the second model, which is closer to the cluster idea as I understand it. To have equal status of all members, open access to all cluster information by each member without any restriction (or superior rights of some members) is essential for the long term running of every cluster. How close the cooperation of individual companies will be, has to depend on those company’s priorities and policies, and not based on any strict cluster rules like it should be at the first model of hierarchical structure.
The activities like gatherings, publishing newsletters, workshops, seminars, etc. are very good for building trust, personal relationships and opening new ways of cooperation among cluster members. Some of these activities may be open to public just to present cluster, its members and welcome a new ones… Anyway, the good business plan has to cover all these activities and each cluster member and possible new members has to clearly see, how the cluster will increase their revenues, profit, expansion of market share, entry into new markets, access to resources, etc.
It’s always exciting to see like something new is formatting. I wish a lot of strength and wisdom to CITT initiative to building this international cluster!
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