Fredrik Waara, Chalmers University of Technology

Abstract/Key issues: This study investigates cooperation between business interests, universities and public agents. Strategies and partnerships in two regions in North Carolina, USA is focused and compared with similar Swedish clusters. The aim is to increase our knowledge of the connection between the institutional framework and the ability to translate research into commercial business activities. The study shows that regional agents are aware of the need for partnerships among agents in a competitive environment and are actively seeking varying strategies depending on their regional profile in terms of the biotech industry. (Anders Östhol)

Biotechnology clusters are notable features of advanced economies. Policy makers are keen to promote them. But to what extent are such actors aware that biotechnology clusters are different from Porter-type, market-based clusters? They pose questions about basic cluster theory because localised networks, though intense, may not be as extensive as global ones in firm practices, especially as these evolve over time. Moreover, innovation is more deeply embedded in the publicly funded science base than for ‘Porterian’ clusters. Regarding innovation, biotechnology is also less obviously Schumpeterian, there being little market-driven ‘creative destruction’, and is arguably, with its strong emphasis on both large and small firm ‘capabilities’ - Penrosian - an emphasis in clustering research and applications that warrants further investigation. Finally, at the specific technology-exploitation phase, market interactions assert themselves over milieu characteristics because scientists know the value of their discoveries and there is accordingly high appropriability associated with such knowledge capabilities. (Phil Cooke)