New approaches towards cluster management excellence

1. New Approaches towards
Cluster Management Excellence
Gerd Meier zu Köcker
Agency Competence Networks Germany
Delhi, November / December 2010

2. page 2
Paradigm change:
from cluster development to
- clusters and organisational excellence
- clusters in supporting of emerging industries
2007
2010

3. page 3
Good Cluster Governance Makes the Difference !
Surrounding
Cluster actors
Cluster
organisation

4. page 4
History of Cluster Excellence Support Actions
National level
1st cluster
benchmarked
Presentation of
benchmarking
approach towards
international
community
(San Sebastian)
2007
Finalisation of
benchmarking
approach
2006
International level
25th cluster
benchmarked
First benchmarking
based evaluation
of clusters
50th cluster
benchmarked
1st foreign
cluster
benchmarked
Integration of
cluster member
satisfaction
analysis in
benchmarking
approach
Publication of a
guideline for an EFQM
based peer assessment
for cluster
managements
Opening of
comparative
benchmarking
portfolio for
foreign clusters
(official listing)
75th cluster
benchmarked
Development
of the bench-
marking
approach for
clusters
2008 2009
Finalisation of
benchmarking
approach
2010

5. page 5
Framework Conditions for Measuring Organisational Cluster Excellence
 Not statistical based
 Excellence comparative portfolio
 Focus on cluster organisations
 Voluntary
 No raking or rating
 Reasonable efforts
 High flexibility since clusters differ

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 Benchmarking of cluster organisations
 Tool for cluster organisations
 to compare with the best / others
 to initiate mutual learning
 to strive for cluster (management) excellence
 to provide evidence of progress made
 Tool for the members / programme owners / policy makers
 Development of a given cluster compared to others
 Strength / weakness compared to other
 Starting point for specific support actions
 Neutral, comparable, independent
Benchmarking of Cluster Organisations

7. page 7
 The comparative portfolio
 Sufficient number (more than 100 clusters are registered)
 Sufficient quality (all clusters registered which meet threshold)
 Allowing to benchmark the right clusters
 According to same technological domain
 According to size, age, country….
 According to all “Excellence Clusters” registered
within the comparative portfolio
Cluster Management Benchmarking
- Key Success Factors

8. page 8
 Regards the broad variety of clusters
 Flexible and modular approach
 Individual composition of relevant indicators
 No disadvantage when certain indicators are left out
 Simple approach
 Reasonable efforts for gathering information
 Focus on cluster organisation
 Involvement of the cluster members is voluntary
 Face-to-face discussions
 No statistics
Cluster Management
Benchmarking - Key Success Factors

9. page 9

10. page 10
Next Generation for Measuring Organisational Cluster Excellence
On the way to develop internationally recognised cluster
management excellent criteria

11. page 11
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry

12. page 12
 The Nordic-German-Polish Cluster Excellence
 Leading National Programme Owners build the consortium
 Denmark, Finland, Germany, Poland, Iceland,
Norway, Sweden
 Purpose:
 Promote cluster management excellence within Europe
 Promote Pan-European mutual learning by comparing cluster
organisations
 Testbed for harmonised quality indicators for cluster organisations within
Europe (based on ECEI indicators)
 About 150 cluster organisations will actively participate and be benchmarked
 Clusters belong to the most competitive ones in their respective countries
Next Generation for Measuring
Organisational Cluster Excellence

13. page 13
Thank you very much for your attention !
 Dr. Gerd Meier zu Köcker
 Managing Director
 Agency Competence Networks Germany
 E-mail: mzk@kompetenznetze.de
 Phone +49 30 310078118

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Why Cluster Excellence Matters
 Cluster managements excellence can
 provide added values to all cluster actors
 Be understood a promising way to contribute to sustainability
of a cluster
 Matured clusters seek for ways to demonstrate excellence
 towards their members
 policy makers, programme owners or
 the community
 Labelling excellent clusters managements is becoming
common practise within Europe,
 but according to national priorities and national funding schemes !