Effects of Cluster Policies on Regional Innovation Networks: Evidence From France

Abstract

Despite the growing body of literature evaluating cluster policies, it still remains difficult to establish conclusively their structural effects on regional innovation networks. Focusing on the French cluster policy during the period 2005-2010, this study aims at evaluating how cluster policies influence the structure of local innovation networks following network topologies that may be beneficial for regional innovation. Based on a panel data of four periods and 94 NUTS3 French regions, we estimate spatial Durbin models, allowing us to identify direct, indirect and total effects of cluster policies. The results suggest that cluster policies can result in both positive and negative total effects on the structure of local innovation networks depending on regions' technological specialisation. Beyond the heterogeneous effects, the results also highlight that cluster policies may lead to a regional competition for the strengthening of innovation networks. This finding echoed previous research pointing out the possible 'beggar-thy-neighbour' effects of cluster policies.

Policy influence in the knowledge space: a regional application

“…Since targeted structural effects might not show up in the short term, such evaluation studies need to focus, in particular, on long term effects. Complementing research on policy effects on the structure of actor networks (Graf & Broekel, 2020;N'Ghauran & Autant-Bernard, 2020), we investigated their impact on the regional knowledge space. As an interesting case, we took biotechnology and the BioRegio program in Germany.…”

“…In fact, the performance of a cluster is based on how the different actors interact and not on how the single elements perform (Andersson & Karlsson, 2006). Recently, a number of studies tried to fill this gap by applying social network methods within cluster policy evaluation (Giuliani et al, 2016;Töpfer et al, 2019;Graf & Broekel, 2020;N'Ghauran & Autant-Bernard, 2020). Some of these studies indicate that there are short-term intended effects of cluster policies on cohesion in actor networks, but they also point out limited long-term effects and partly unintended structural effects, such as an increase in network centralization (Töpfer et al, 2019;Graf & Broekel, 2020).…”

“…Because of the variety of policy targets and complex interactions of different instruments within cluster policies, several scholars call for wider and more systemic evaluations (Mar & Massard, 2021;Rothgang et al, 2021). A few recent studies tackle these shortcomings of the field and apply social network analysis (SNA) to understand how policy affects the overall structure of relationships between different actors (Giuliani et al, 2016;Töpfer et al, 2019;Graf & Broekel, 2020;N'Ghauran & Autant-Bernard, 2020). While cohesive networks have been identified as drivers of innovationbased economic development of regions (e.g.…”