Classification of business clusters based on information transfer events

Abstract

This paper examines the utility of the attributes associated with information transfer events for classifying business clusters and understanding their workings. A field survey collected data from diverse actors in six business clusters located in Brazil, including: companies responsible for the development or final assembly of a product or service (central actors); the entity that represents the companies in each business cluster (the administrative body); and the entities seeking to transfer information to the central actors of localities (knowledge agents). We found that differences in the degree of productive complementarity on the part of central actors of business clusters were associated with variance in perceptions of information transfer events that took place in localities. To our knowledge this is the first research which analyzes and classifies business clusters based on dimensions of information transfer which are relevant to the practice of knowledge management.