Clusters of High Technology SMEs: The Dutch Case

Abstract

WEVER E. and STAM E. (1999) Clusters of high technology SMEs: the Dutch case, Reg. Studies 33 , 391-400 . This paper examines the relevance of high technology clusters in the specific Dutch spatial context: a relatively small and homogeneous country. In this context the spatial pattern of high technology firms is congruent with, or closely follows, the general spatial pattern of all firms. Regional clusters, characterized by innovation linkages with other firms and knowledge centres, hardly exist. Most high technology small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have nationwide linkages. WEVER E. et STAM E. (1999) Les regroupements de PME de pointe: etude de cas de la Hollande, Reg. Studies 33 , 391-400 . Cet article cherche a examiner l'importance des regroupements de PME de pointe quant a la geographie de la Hollande, un pays relativement petit et homogene. Dans ce contexte-la, la distribution geographique des entreprises de pointe est en harmonie avec ou correspond etroitement a la distribution generale des entreprises. Rares sont les regroupements regionaux, caracterises par des relations avec d'autres entreprises et d'autres centres d'etudes. La plupart des PME de pointe jouissent des liens sur l'ensemble du territoire. WEVER E. und STAM E. (1999) Kluster hoch technisierter kleiner und mittlerer Unternehmen: der Fall der Niederlande, Reg. Studies 33 , 391-400 . Dieser Aufsatz untersucht die Relevanz hoch technisierter Kluster im spezifisch niederla �ndischen ra �umlichen Zusammenhang, d.h. einem relativ kleinen und homogenen Lande. In diesem Zusammenhang entspricht das ra �umliche Muster der Hochtechnologiefirmen dem allgemeinen ra �umlichen Muster aller Firmen, oder folgt ihm weitgehend. Es gibt kaum regionale Kluster, die durch Innovationsverknu �pfungen mit anderen Firmen und Wissenszentren charakerisiert werden. Die meisten hoch technisierten kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen unterhalten landesweit Verbindungen.The Randstad, High Technology Smes, High Technology Services, Co-OPERATION, Innovative Activities, Regional Clusters,

Knowledge Spillovers and Economic Growth

“…That is, spillovers between h omogeneous enterprises do not contribute significantly to economic growth. By and large, this finding is in line with Wever and Stam (1999), who find that regional clusters of high technology small and medium sized enter-prises (SMEs) hardly exist in the Netherlands. 13 They find that, even in regions where high technology SMEs are overrepresented, most of the customers and suppliers that the interviewed high technology SMEs consider relevant for their innovative development are located outside their own region.…”

“…Our focus is not on knowledge produced by universities or public research institutions spilling over toward private firms. Wever and Stam (1999) show that for their sample of Dutch high technology SMEs, "by far the most important external innovation impulses came from other firms ... (instead of knowledge centres such as universities)" (p. 396).…”

The development of industrial clusters and public policy

“…Although there are differences in definitions and approaches to the study of industrial clusters there is a remarkable degree of agreement that geographical concentration of firms and supporting agencies can create and develop competitive advantages for firms located in industrial clusters (Porter 1990, Enright 1998, Weaver and Stam 1999, Cooke 2002a, Cooke and Huggins 2002, Dei Ottati 2002, Garofoli 2002, Sforzi 2002. There are differences of opinion about the emphasis given to the main sources of such benefits and about over simplistic analysis, in some parts of the literature, on the key characteristics of industrial clusters (Martin and Sunley 2003).…”

On the conceptualization of agglomeration economies: The case of new firm formation in the Dutch ICT sector

“…Employment growth in incumbent firms (Fig. 6), though, is clustered in the traditional hightechnology centres in the Netherlands (compare Wever and Stam 1999). The Fig.…”