Difference between revisions of "Cluster establishment support"

Description

Brief description of the instrument and its modus operandi

Ministry of Economy and Regional Development in the period 2006-2011 implemented a multi-year program to support cluster development. Implementation of the Programme in 2007 was enabled by financial support of the Government of the Kingdom of Norway. The Ministry supported clusters by grants allocated on the basis of competition, following the procedure of Public Call for Proposals. A grant must not exceed 50% of the total eligible costs for cluster activities in different stages of development.

Which problem the instrument is supposed to solve?

Need to build innovation capacities and to increase international competitiveness of the companies which have to be prepared to operate in international markets

Purpose or main objective / overall goal of the instrument?

The aim of the Programme is to support private sector development, job creation, and export expansion by supporting cluster linkages among enterprises, R&D Institutions and business associations

Innovation content or potential of the instrument?

Improve networking and competitiveness of enterprises

Which laws and regulations support the implement of this instrument?

none

The initiator/promoter of the instrument?

Ministry of Economy and Regional Development

Which organizations are involved in the operationalization of the instrument?

Ministry of Economy and Regional Development

What roles do these organisation play in each of them?

Ministry of Economy and Regional Development and National Agency for Rural Development

How the monitoring is ensured?

Clusters were obliged to submit detailed activity and financial reports. As well, clusters must ensure that both ministry and agency can perform control at any time.

How the compliance is ensured?

No detailed public data provided. These were defined in the contracts.

How is the overall performance of the instrument?

The first stage of the Programme included the process of preparation and consultation with stakeholders (end of 2005 and 2006); the second stage was stage of cluster stabilization and growth, and included setting-up routines (2007); the third stage was focused on strengthening operational capacities and current clusters commercialization (2008); while the fourth - sustainability stage, included providing full support to enterprises to strengthen their links with international business network, common innovative projects and innovation infrastructure development (as of 2009).

Brief description of the context for the emergence of the instrument

Dynamic and effective interaction and cooperation among businesses, research community and education centres are crucial for economic growth and promotion of innovation processes. This cooperation results in specific forms of concentration of interconnected companies, i.e. clusters, which exceed local, regional and national borders. The process of acquiring new technologies, entering new markets and creating new jobs is hardly achievable without institutional support. The aim of cluster development support in the Republic of Serbia is to build innovation capacities and to increase international competitiveness of the companies which have to be prepared to operate in international markets.

Have any of the items mentioned above changed since the instrument entered into force?

No

Is there any qualitative or quantitative study of the impacts of the instrument?