Conclusion

At the outset of this study laid the notion that up until recently the cluster discourse paid little attention to the individual cluster-firm. Instead, researchers, practitioners, and policy makers alike focused almost exclusively on the cluster as a whole, which came at the expense of the individual firm. Thus, while there is a well established body of knowledge on the capacity of clusters to promote regional development and national prosperity, there is little account of internal characteristics that enable the firm to create and defend competitive advantages through clusters. Given that the forces of globalization and rapid technological change will lead to more geographical concentration of economic activity rather than less, top managers need to know what they can do to profit from this trend.