Creating a Cluster While Building a Firm: Entrepreneurs and the Formation of Industrial Clusters

Feldman M. P., Francis J. and Bercovitz, J. (2005) Creating a cluster while building a firm: entrepreneurs and the formation of industrial clusters, Regional Studies39, 129-141. The objective of the paper is to provide a theoretical model of cluster development that is informed by an appreciative interpretation of case studies. It argues that entrepreneurs are a critical element in the formation of clusters. Entrepreneurs are important actors in the development of clusters as complex adaptive systems, where the external resources associated with clusters are developed over time. Entrepreneurs who adapt to both constructive crises and new opportunities create the factors and conditions that facilitate their…