Cluster Regions: A Social Network Perspective

One ongoing debate in the cluster literature concerns methods of delineating the spatial footprint of industrial clusters. Some cluster regions correspond to political boundaries. Researchers have also used qualitative methods and various quantitative techniques including location quotients and spatial statistics to demarcate clusters. A common weakness of most approaches is that researchers do not incorporate collaboration among cluster participants. In this article, the use of social network analysis (SNA) is illustrated. SNA is not proposed as an alternative to other methods of cluster mapping. Instead, the authors suggest that it complements other methods. Because SNA focuses on networks of social or interpersonal relationships, it provides a dimension that techniques focusing on economic relationships do not capture. One advantage of SNA is that it enables the identification of critical nonindustry actors, such as politicians, economic development practitioners, and academic researchers