This document discusses internationalization of clusters and identifies key success factors and challenges. It notes that traditional approaches to internationalization may not fully address upcoming industrial needs. Success requires developing an internationalization strategy with cluster participants, competitive products/technologies, and cluster management support through innovative services and international experience. Emerging industries will be drivers of internationalization as they converge technologies and form new value chains crossing industry sectors. Clusters must develop regionally but cooperate globally to internationalize successfully.

1. Success Factors for Internationalisation
of Clusters
Dr. Gerd Meier zu Köcker
Vilnius, 8th April 2015
www.bmwi.de

2. Reasons Not to Internationalise
 If policy makers insist
 If it is a mandatory part of funding rules
 Only because of funding
 If products or technologies are not competitive
 If cluster participants do not have capacities to internationalise
 If the cluster management does not have the mandate to internationalise
 If the cluster does not have any idea or strategy where and why to
internationalise
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3. Kinds of Internationalisation of Clusters
 Trend scouting
• Products, technologies
• Markets, consumer behaviour etc.
 Export
 R&D cooperation
 Joint product development
• Incl. adaptive development
 Acquisition of know-how, technologies
 Entering Strategic partnerships
 Joint venture
 Building up foreign branch
 Building foreign production facilities
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4. Success Factors for Making Business in Korea
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© VDI/VDE-IT, 2011, Survey among 150 German SMEs

5. Failure Factors
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Meier zu Köcker et al., 2011, http://www.tci-network.org/news/314

6. Key Success Factor
Unterstanding Internationalisation
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7. Current and Future Challenges
• Wind energy goes offshore
• Food & packaging  advanced packages
•Manufacturing goes Industry 4.0
Industrial
Transformation
Processes
• Biotech & Health
• ICT & Medical devices
• Communication technologies &
automotive
Increasing
Convergence of
Technologies
•Creative industries
• Digital industries
• Experience industries
Emergence of
New Industries
New markets,
new business
models,
New value chains
Systematic
approaches to
internationalise
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8. Emerging Industries as Driver for Internationalisation

9. Percentage of Cross-technological Patents
Related to Emerging Industries
Source: European Cluster Observatory, 2015

10. Cross-sectoral Value Chain of Paper and
Packaging Industry
Source: European Cluster Observatory, 2015

11. Internationalisation
– The Ideal Case –
16
Sources: gerber and Limmatdruck Zeiler

12. Communities with Dynamic Cross-sectoral
Patterns related to Advanced Packaging
Source: European Cluster Observatory, 2015

13. Source: European Cluster Observatory, 2015
Cross-sectoral Value Chain of Blue Growth

14. Communities with Dynamic Cross-sectoral Value
Chain of Blue Growth
Source: European Cluster Observatory, 2015

15. Clusters Are Different in Terms of
Internationalisation

16. International Cooperation Streams in R&D with
Focus on Emerging Industries

17. International Cooperation Streams in R&D with
Focus on Emerging Industries

18. Develop Regionally, Cooperate Globally

19. Service Porfolio of Excellent Cluster Management

20. Internationalisation
– The Ideal Case –
15
Sustainable
strategic
partnerships
Looking for
external partners
Among cluster
actors

21. 10 Key Success Factors
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 Internationalisation strategy developed with cluster participants
 To know why, when and where to gor (e. g. new value chains)
 Cluster management is responsible for internationalisation
 Competitive products, technologies (and companies)
 Cluster actors are willing and able to invest
 Innovative services offered by the cluster management
 International experience of cluster management team
 Good knowledge of international cluster landscape
 Involvement of other key actors (export promotion agencies, Foreign
Chamber of Commerce etc.)
 Patience…

22. 10 Steps Towards an
Internationalisation Strategy
 Communication of the upcoming strategy process among the cluster
participants
 Selection of stakeholders and cluster actors to be involved
 SWOT analysis/analysis of the current demand status and
future expectations
 Creativity workshops with cluster actors and stakeholders
 Additional interviews with selected cluster actors
 Deduction of strategic objectives and operational targets
 Identification of main action fields
 Prioritisation of actions and services
 Discussion of approach with cluster actors and stakeholders
 Agreement on action plan for development and implementation of services
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23. Summary
Traditional approaches and key success factors
for cluster internationalisation are not sufficient
to address upcoming industrial needs
for internationalisation.
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24. Contact
 Dr. Gerd Meier zu Köcker
 Institute for Innovation and Technology
 Steinplatz 1
 10623 Berlin
 E-Mail: mzk@vdivde-it.de
 Tel.: +49 30 310078-118
 Fax: +49 30 310078-222
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25. Prevailing Services of Cluster Organisations
in the Context of Internationalisation
0
1
2
3
4
Availability of print/web
information in foreign
languages
Participation of the cluster
management in trade fairs /
conferences abroad with own
booth to present the cluster
and its participants
Other activities by the cluster
management for intensifying
international contacts and co-
operations with foreign
partners or clusters
Offices or other permanent
representations of the cluster
abroad
Acquisition of international
R&D projects that were mainly
initiated by the cluster
management
Other services/activities
Spain France Germany
Norway Denmark
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© ESCA 2013,