2012
Dorota FRĄCZEK
Enterprise and Innovation Department
How to increase impact of clusters on
economic growth
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
CONTENT
1. Key messages from TACTICS project
2. New trends in cluster policy in Europe
3. Impact assessment of cluster-based policies
4. Conclusions from TACTICS Task Forces
5. Polish clusters and cluster policy
6. Guidelines and recommendations for new cluster
policy in Poland
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
TACTICS
(Transnational Alliance of Clusters Towards Improved Cooperation Support)
 one of the three INNO-Nets within the PRO INNO Europe initiative
under the Commission’s Competitiveness and Innovation Programme
from DG Enterprise and Industry;
 aimed at:
 supporting and further expanding the European Cluster Alliance,
 contributing to the development of better cluster policies and
practical tools for implementation in Europe;
 brought together seven of Europe’s leading national and regional
innovation and cluster policy organisations (OSEO, VINNOVA, TMG
Upper Austria, Manchester Metropolitan University, IWT Flanders’
Innovation Agency, Veneto Innovazione , PARP);
 involved a Reflection Group of external cluster policy experts.
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
TACTICS results






Cluster internationalization handbook
Cluster marketing and branding handbook
Impact evaluation of cluster-based policies (guide)
Fostering User-Driven Innovation through clusters (guide)
Channelling RDI funding through clusters (working paper)
Using clusters to address emerging industries and services
(working paper)
 Key messages and practical recommendations (final report)
 Where the cluster winds are blowing in Europe? (report on
new trends related to clusters and cluster policies)
You can download all TACTICS publications at:
www.ECA-TACTICS.eu
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Case examples collected under TACTICS project show
that cluster initiatives can:
 improve
the performance of the innovation
support system;
 leverage the renewal of European industry;
 engage SMEs in research and innovation support
programmes;
 play an important role within smart specialization
strategies;
 help regions gain competitive advantage by
internationalising, boosting
visibility and
attractiveness, and involving users in innovation
processes.
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Key messages from TACTICS project
Cluster initiatives are central to innovation and
competitiveness
New interactions between cluster initiatives drive
growth
Cluster initiatives that leverage and promote key
assets gain a competitive edge
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Cluster initiatives are central to innovation and competitiveness
 promote interactions between industry, research, the public
sector, and many other fields;
 provide a bridge to the market;
 enable more effective links between policy makers and
economic players;
 involved in smart specialisation strategies and crucial to
revitalising regional economies;
 enable support to be given to both individual companies and
groups of companies;
 contribute to accelerated participation in EU programmes,
particularly for SMEs;
 support strategic businesses development and drive
commercialisation through services rendered by cluster
organisations;
can be used by institutions responsible for regional and national
innovation strategies as sources of information.
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
New interactions between cluster initiatives drive growth
 cluster organisations allow local nodes to tap more easily into
global pipelines of knowledge and resources;
 clusters enable SMEs to forge new business relationships and
seize new opportunities internationally and generate market
impact;
 cluster organisations can cultivate cross-sectoral activities
through intercluster connections and thus stimulate continuous
industrial renewal and new economic activities;
 clusters can help regions/countries find ways to work together
to tackle grand challenges;
 clusters provide different types of RDI infrastructures that help
SMEs to commercialise new products (e.g. pilot plants,
demonstrators, test beds, living labs);
 cluster organisations can provide the means to link different
types of RDI infrastructures, both cross-border and cross-sector.
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Cluster initiatives that leverage and promote key assets gain a competitive edge
 the most valuable assets a cluster initiative has are those that
represent cutting-edge experience (e.g. specialised people, tailored
services and unique infrastructures);
 such assets foster interactions and collaboration between
different creative milieus and innovators and provide a fertile
business environment for emerging high-growth firms;
 in order to take advantage of these assets, open platforms are
needed to attract and engage actors both within and outside the
cluster initiatives;
 regions can get more impact from such assets by actively
profiling their cluster initiatives for international investors;
 cluster initiatives can be used as natural platforms for
collaboration between companies, the public sector and end users,
and as vehicles for implementing other measures (e.g. precommercial public procurement, demand-led innovation
activities, etc.).
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Where the cluster winds are blowing in Europe
The changing concept and use of clusters as a policy tool has
been tackled introducing some of the key issues for policy (at
present), and explaining how the “cluster tool” can be used to
address these issues
 Information collected from a sample of EU
regions/countries (28 cases);
 A combination of regional and national perspectives;
 Small countries and large countries;
 Long experience, substantial financial investment in
cluster-related programmes;
 use of the “cluster tool” in different policy areas (e.g.
research policy, innovation policy, industrial policy, etc.)
 Cases examples available in the report (www.ecatactics.eu).
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Where the cluster winds are blowing in Europe
Evolution of the Concept of Clusters as a
Policy Tool
 More focus on clusters’ relation to innovation
 A broadened view of the drivers of innovation
(new drivers for innovation – e.g. grand societal
challenges, creative industries, etc.)
 A changed logic and scope of cluster initiatives
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Where the cluster winds are blowing in Europe
Opening Innovation Processes through
Clusters
 Inclusion of various innovators, including
users;
 Internationalisation of cluster initiatives and
cluster branding;
 Cross-cluster/cross-sectoral cooperation as a
way to increase innovation capacity.
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Where the cluster winds are blowing in Europe
Smart Implementation and Integration of
Cluster-Related Policies
 Smart implementation – balancing support to
existing and emerging clusters;
 Funding of cluster initiatives;
 Coordination across policy levels;
 Integration across policy areas.
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Where the cluster winds are blowing in Europe
Continued Strengthening of Cluster
Initiatives
 Increased participation of SMEs;
 Strengthening the knowledge dimension – increased
collaboration science /clusters;
 Competence supply – attraction of talent and skills’
development;
 Use of design skills as a driver for innovation;
 Service innovation as a way to strengthen innovation
capacity in clusters;
 More professional management and process support;
 Focus on performance.
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Where the cluster winds are blowing in Europe
 in many countries clusters are visible policy
instruments that can strengthen regional
development, competitiveness and innovation –
both at the national and regional level;
 clusters can be used as platforms to open-up
innovation processes;
 cluster organisations are able to serve as
facilitators of neutral platforms for innovation
activities – gathering various types of innovators –
companies and research organisations, as well as
users (consumers, businesses and public users) –
and helping them enter sooner in the innovation
process;
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Where the cluster winds are blowing in Europe
 cluster initiatives are used to foster not only
industrial productivity and efficiency, but also to
drive innovation and economic transformation
(including addressing public demand and societal
challenges);
 the use of clusters in policy making is evolving
from a narrow (local, industry specific) to a more
broad (global, systemic) concept;
 more focus on and different drivers of innovation
also change the logic of cluster initiatives;
 the logic is not necessarily driven by a particular
sector or geography, but rather opportunities for
collaboration in developing new solutions to
different shared challenges;
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Where the cluster winds are blowing in Europe
 clusters act as intermediaries between research and
companies and may build networks for know-how
transfer and applied research;
 cluster organisations are considered as a valuable
source of information to policy makers and
funding bodies on: industries, growth sub-sectors,
individual businesses, emerging industries, new
technologies and new processes.
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Impact evaluation of cluster-based policies
Policy makers expect that supporting cluster
organisations / cluster initiatives improve regional
competitiveness and stimulate growth
BUT HOW CAN THIS BE PROVEN?
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Impact evaluation of cluster-based policies
Various approaches are used to evaluate the impact of
cluster-related policies and investments.
As such, evaluations of cluster-related policies and
investments can encompass many aspects:
 Cluster Management level (= the performance of cluster
organisations)
 Project level (= the results of particular cooperative RDI
projects)
 Cluster policy/programme level (= the overall impact of public
investments in cluster-based policies and programmes)
TACTICS has focused on evaluating the impact of public
cluster-related policies and investments – and how this
relates to regional competitiveness.
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Impact evaluation of cluster-based policies
Methodologies for impact assessment include:
 aggregative statistical/econometric approaches (based on
combinations of publicly available, objective data, and
increasingly differentiated and customized survey data);
 traditional analyses based on surveys and case studies.
Two different sets of methods can be applicable:
 counterfactual impact evaluation (CIE)
 theory-based impact evaluation (TBIE)
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Impact evaluation of cluster-based policies
 CIE deals primarily with the quantification of effects
and tries to answer the question: what would the
outcome have been in the absence of the intervention?
 TBIE attempts to explain the outcomes and their
impacts. Hence, it aims to understand why an
intervention produces intended and unintended effects.
(European Commission, 2011a)
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Impact evaluation of cluster-based policies
Different approaches for measuring the impact of public
cluster funding illustrated by case studies:
 analysis of the leverage effects as a way to address
causality and prove impact;
 comparing cluster firms’ performance against a
control/reference group of firms;
 a self-evaluation approach – evaluating results
against initial project objectives;
 a unique approach developed by collectively by 3
Swedish regions.
Most regional/national programmes use external contractors to conduct
in-depth analysis (combining quantitative and qualitative indicators) and
determine impact of the cluster programme - usually every 3rd year or at
the end of a programme.
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Impact evaluation of cluster-based policies
Recommendations for assessments of the socio-economic
impact of cluster initiatives or programmes:
 Consider in advance the involvement and role of the principal
parties, stakeholders and external experts;
 Define the scope of the analysis – set clear objectives and
realistic expectations;
 Use qualitative analysis supported by quantitative arguments;
 Allocate sufficient resources and funding for impact
assessment;
 Start impact analysis in the phase of agenda setting and policy
formulation, and not with measuring long-term effects in the
remote future.
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Impact evaluation of cluster-based policies
Nine steps of impact evaluation process
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Conclusions from TACTICS Task Forces
Cluster internationalisation
 Lever Cluster Organisations as a central tool
for internationalisation;
 Catalyse the creation of Regional Innovation
Strategies for Smart Specialisation;
 Intensify international cluster networking and
cross-fertilisation;
 Improve and target cluster branding &
marketing;
 Further develop Innovation Express as a
European mechanism to facilitate the
internationalisation of cluster organisations
and SMEs.
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Conclusions from TACTICS Task Forces
User-driven innovation (UDI) involving clusters
 Awareness rising needed among policy makers,
policy practitioners, cluster organisations as
well as their member companies to increase
cluster involvement in UDI;
 Mapping of existing assets should be provided
to be able to valorise UDI assets (living labs,
testing, demonstration platforms, test beds,
rapid prototyping, business simulation, etc.);
 Public users can drive innovation through
public procurement of innovative solutions to
societal problems - in these new areas
governments should assist bringing all
stakeholders together (cluster ‘creation’).
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Conclusions from TACTICS Task Forces
Using clusters to address emerging industries (EI)
 Smart observation and identification of new
growth areas involving combination of methods
and effective matching of economic strengths of
the country/region with other values or assets;
 Policy support for inter-clustering and crossfertilization between clusters across sectors and
geographies;
 Integration of EI in a broader EU policy
context;
 New more flexible financing approaches.
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Conclusions from TACTICS Task Forces
Cluster marketing and branding
 Smart allocation of resources for cluster
marketing and branding;
 Branding valorisation though integration of
territorial branding with cluster branding;
 Ensuring a participatory process and
ownership for integrating cluster and territory
branding ;
 Promoting use of a new generation of
communication tools.
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Polish clusters and cluster policy
Project co-financed by the European Union from the
European Social Fund under the Human Capital Operational
Programme
 Main objective is to strengthen Polish clusters and
increase their competitiveness and innovation
capacity through development of human capital and
cluster policy;
 Support for cluster policy:
 Establishing Polish Cluster Policy Group consisting of:
representatives of national and regional authorities,
government agencies and business partners as well as national
experts and practitioners;
 Involving foreign experts;
 Setting out guidelines for Polish cluster policy until 2020.
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Guidelines and recommendations for new cluster policy in
Poland
Recommendation 1
Reinforcing cluster development should be implemented
through support for cluster initiatives and cluster
coordinators. This support, in principle, should be
allocated from the regional level except for support for
internationalization and coordination of key clusters.
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Guidelines and recommendations for new cluster policy in
Poland
Recommendation 2
Stimulating development of key clusters (national and
regional) should include not only support for cluster
coordinators but also direct support for cluster actors, i.e.
enterprises,
universities
and
research
institutes,
specialized business support institutions, etc. Support for
clusters will therefore involve co-financing of different
type of agreed investments relevant for their development.
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Guidelines and recommendations for new cluster policy in
Poland
Recommendation 3
Support for the implementation of basic coordination
functions within the clusters should be available on a
regional level.
What should be available for the key cluster coordinators
on the national level is the dedicated support related to
internationalization
(including
marketing,
branding,
national networking and international networking).
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Guidelines and recommendations for new cluster policy in
Poland
Recommendation 4
It is recommended to prepare mechanisms for supporting
cluster coordinators and such mechanisms could be
implemented by all regions in order to avoid the risk that
in some geographies there will be no support instruments
of this kind.
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Guidelines and recommendations for new cluster policy in
Poland
Recommendation 5
It is proposed to make a selection of key clusters on
national level that are most significant for the Polish
economy and have a potential to be competitive
internationally.
The selection of key clusters on the national level should
be accompanied by concentration and coordination of
public funds available on both national and regional
levels (especially for R&D, development of human capital,
export oriented activities).
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Guidelines and recommendations for new cluster policy in
Poland
Recommendation 6
The selection of key national clusters should be made on a
competitive basis with precisely defined criteria for
qualitative evaluation by experts in particular with
regard to cluster strategy and action plans. Several
rounds are recommended which would enable to
encompass new cross-sectoral clusters thay may emerge
as well as those that in the meantime advanced the
processes of collaboration and strategic planning.
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Guidelines and recommendations for new cluster policy in
Poland
Recommendation 7
It is recommended that selection criteria for national key
clusters should refer to the following:
a) consistency with strategic directions of economic
development of the country and region,
b) critical mass,
c) development and innovative potential,
d) partnership and synergies,
e) collaboration links,
f) excellence of cluster organisation (coordinator),
g) ability to mobilize private resources.
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Guidelines and recommendations for new cluster policy in
Poland
Recommendation 8
For credibility and transparency reasons the selection of
national key clusters should be made by an evaluation
panel consisting of representatives of ministries and
government agencies (potentially also representatives of
regional governments from relevant regions) as well as
independent experts from different fields (including
experts on technology, market analyses and global trends
etc.).
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Guidelines and recommendations for new cluster policy in
Poland
Recommendation 9
Support
for
national
key
clusters
should
be
comprehensive and involve public funds for R&D,
investment (e.g. machinery, new technology lines, R&D
infrastructure,
educational
infrastructure,
etc.),
development of human capital (training and education) as
well as promotion and internationalization.
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Guidelines and recommendations for new cluster policy in
Poland
Recommendation 10
Regions should also prioritize their development policy
by selecting their regional key clusters that would define
regional smart specializations.
Regions can independently perform the selection of
regional key clusters – i.e. through accreditation,
competition or analytical and consultation processes
related to development of regional innovation strategies
for smart specialization.
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Guidelines and recommendations for new cluster policy in
Poland
Recommendation 11
Self-governments of particular regions should cooperate
with each other in order to coordinate support for supraregional clusters. In cooperation with the Ministry for
Regional Development, it would be necessary to prepare
regulations and solutions that would allow for a direct or
indirect (i.e. via a cluster coordinator) allocation of
support to the entities operationg in a given cluster, but
located on the territory of neighbouring regions.
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Guidelines and recommendations for new cluster policy in
Poland
Recommendation 12
It is recommended to implement mechanisms that would
allow to allocate funds, both on the national and regional
levels, for activities and projects undertaken jointly by
entities operating within key clusters. Thus, the key
cluster selection will form a valid solution leading to
channelling and concentration of public support.
Simultaneously, mechanisms should be introduced to
enhance coordination and integration of available public
support by a system of additional scoring for project
applications made by entities from key clusters.
For more details refer to ‘Directions and guidelines for Polish cluster policy until
2020. Recommendations of the Polish Cluster Policy Group’ (www.pi.gov.pl)
Rzeszow, November 6th, 2012
Thank you!
Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP)
81/83 Panska Str.
00-834 Warsaw
Help Desk: + 48 (22) 432 89 91/92/93
www.parp.gov.pl