Competitive Advantages through Clusters [electronic resource] : An Empirical Study with Evidence from China / by Saša Šarić.

Current State of Knowledge on How Clusters Enable Firms to Create Competitive Advantages -- Theoretical Model of Internal Characteristics to Create Competitive Advantages Through Clusters -- Case Study to Indentify Skills that Make up a Firm's Cluster-Capability -- Empirical Analysis of the Internal Characteristics and their Influence on Firm Performance -- Recommendations for Implementing the Identified Internal Characteristics into Organizational Reality.

How do firms create competitive advantages through clusters? To show what successful cluster-firms are made up of, Saša Šarić makes use of a rigorous exploratory approach combining a thorough theory review with insights gained from two empirical studies conducted in China. His findings suggest that successful cluster-firms use their Entrepreneurial Orientation to seek out promising new opportunities and exploit their value generating potential through a dedicated Cluster-Capability. Both strategic elements are implemented through high decentralization of decision authority and low task formalization thus requiring highly skilled personnel and entrepreneurial leaders. With his research, the author gives an answer on how firms create competitive advantages through the clusters they are located in. This serves as an important orientation for executives, authorities, and other stakeholders who are interested in making the most out of their local economic environment.