Regional clusters and competitiveness: The Norwegian case

Abstract The article examines some of the assertions reported in the international literature on regional clusters of small and medium‐sized firms; that such clusters often experience job growth and are internationally competitive. These assertions are based mainly on case studies of various industrial districts and other types of regional clusters, while this article will analyze statistical material to see whether similar trends can be observed in Norway between 1970 and 1990. Thus, the article identifies different kinds of regional clusters in Norway in 1990, as well as employment trends in the clusters between 1970 and 1990. Questions are: Have the regional clusters in, for instance, the furniture industry or the electronics industry in Norway a relatively larger job growth then the average in these industries? The analysis indicates that regional clusters generally are internationally competitive, and the analysis reveals that regional clusters in Norway, with some important exceptions, experience a ...

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