Holger Schiele, h&z Unternehmensberatung, Germany

Petter Jönsson, Linköping University

Abstract/Key issues: In his presentation Holger Schiele will develop two theses. Thesis I: E-business - whose backbone is not the internet but business applications such as e-procurement and e-engineering – does not essentially affect the central causes of cluster formation. Thesis II: E-sourcing-based global trading webs would accelerate the process of clustering. On top, the electronic paradox indicates that the more important IT gets in business, the more the locus of competitive advantage shifts into the remaining non-digital part of the value chain. Thus, cluster based companies can profit most from e-business and should promote it.