Indicators to support innovation cluster policy

The elaboration of a conceptually grounded and easily replicable set of indicators for gauging the current state and future prospects for cluster development is an essential aid for both policy makers and cluster advocates. Many different methods and techniques for analyzing clusters have been proposed in the literature, but no standardized approach has emerged, and numerous challenges exist in adapting these approaches to the analysis of emerging and established clusters in high technology industrial sectors. We propose here a parsimonious, generic cluster framework comprising six constructs and thirty-four variables, and we describe the process for using the framework in the analysis of clusters. Finally, we summarize the findings and implications from the analysis of the current state of eight cluster initiatives of the National Research Council of Canada. The framework and methodology have proven to be effective in analyzing clusters quickly, consistently, and cost-effectively.