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Mapping a nation of regional clusters

Harvard Business School U.S. Economic Development Administration
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    Are you hoping to effect change in the economic landscape through federal, state, or local government policy choices? Then follow our Policymaker path.

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  • I am an Academic or Researcher

    Are you interested in learning more about clusters and conducting action-oriented research? Then follow our Academic or Researcher path.

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  • I am in the Private Sector

    Are you looking into the economic competitiveness of a region through the lens of the private sector? Then follow our Private Sector path.

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  • Data by Cluster

    A cluster is a regional concentration of related industries that arise out of the various types of linkages or externalities that span across industries in a particular location. The U.S. Benchmark Cluster Definitions are designed to enable systemic comparison across regions. View and compare clusters across the U.S.

    View Data by Cluster
  • Frequently Asked Questions

    How do I compare different clusters on a national level?

    How do I find my region’s strongest cluster(s)?

    How do I identify which cluster my industry belongs in?

    How do I compare local vs traded clusters?

    Are there overlaps between the clusters?

  • Data by Region

    A region is broadly defined as a county, economic area (EA), metro/micropolitan statistical area (MSA), or state. The U.S. Benchmark Cluster Definitions use the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis defined economic areas. View and compare regions across the U.S.

    View Data by Region
  • Frequently Asked Questions

    How do I compare different regions?

    How do I build a region to meet my needs?

    How is my region doing, especially in comparison to its peer regions?

    How do I find subregions related to my region?

    How do I use the map view to visualize economic data across the country?

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  • Resources

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  • Community

    The Community of Practice enables practitioners to share Resources, post Blogs, and find partner Organizations. View and contribute content of interest to the cluster based economic development community.

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Home
  • I am an Economic Developer

    Are you trying to determine a strategy for your organization, region, or industry? Then follow our Economic Developer path.

    Follow Economic Developer Path
  • I am a Policymaker

    Are you hoping to effect change in the economic landscape through federal, state, or local government policy choices? Then follow our Policymaker path.

    Follow Policymaker Path
  • I am an Academic or Researcher

    Are you interested in learning more about clusters and conducting action-oriented research? Then follow our Academic or Researcher path.

    Follow Academic or Researcher Path
  • I am in the Private Sector

    Are you looking into the economic competitiveness of a region through the lens of the private sector? Then follow our Private Sector path.

    Follow Private Sector Path
  • Data by Cluster

    A cluster is a regional concentration of related industries that arise out of the various types of linkages or externalities that span across industries in a particular location. The U.S. Benchmark Cluster Definitions are designed to enable systemic comparison across regions. View and compare clusters across the U.S.

    View Data by Cluster
  • Frequently Asked Questions

    How do I compare different clusters on a national level?

    How do I find my region’s strongest cluster(s)?

    How do I identify which cluster my industry belongs in?

    How do I compare local vs traded clusters?

    Are there overlaps between the clusters?

  • Data by Region

    A region is broadly defined as a county, economic area (EA), metro/micropolitan statistical area (MSA), or state. The U.S. Benchmark Cluster Definitions use the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis defined economic areas. View and compare regions across the U.S.

    View Data by Region
  • Frequently Asked Questions

    How do I compare different regions?

    How do I build a region to meet my needs?

    How is my region doing, especially in comparison to its peer regions?

    How do I find subregions related to my region?

    How do I use the map view to visualize economic data across the country?

  • Organizations

    View Organizations
  • Blog

    View Blog
  • Resources

    View Resources
  • Community

    The Community of Practice enables practitioners to share Resources, post Blogs, and find partner Organizations. View and contribute content of interest to the cluster based economic development community.

    View Community Page
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Harvard Business School U.S. Economic Development Administration

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  • U.S. Cluster Mapping
  1. Resources
  2. Tools and Technical Documents
Regional Economy
Tools and Technical Documents

Competitiveness in Rural U.S. Regions: Learning and Research Agenda

by cmp.admin Fri, 11/15/2013 - 12:02

This report analyzes the economic competitiveness of rural areas in the United States. It summarizes a selective, interpretative review of the literature on the economic performance, the composition and evolution of rural economies in the United States, the nature of the business environment in rural regions, and evidence on the role of clusters in these areas. It also briefly reviews U.S. policies and recommendations for rural regions, concluding with an interpretation of the state of rural competitiveness and areas for future research.

  • Read more  → about Blog Rivet

Tools and Technical Documents

Making Sense of Clusters: Regional Competitiveness and Economic Development

by cmp.admin Fri, 11/15/2013 - 12:02

In recent years, “cluster strategies” have become a popular economic development approach among state and local policymakers and economic development practitioners. Cluster analysis can help diagnose a region’s economic strengths and challenges and identify realistic ways to shape the region’s economic future. Yet many policymakers and practitioners have only a limited understanding of what clusters are and how to build economic development strategies around them. This discussion paper reviews the academic literature on industry clusters.

  • Read more  → about Blog Rivet

Tools and Technical Documents

Competitiveness in a globalised world

by cmp.admin Fri, 11/15/2013 - 12:02

This commentary from the Journal of International Business Studies documents highlights from an interview with Professor Michael Porter in 2006 on his research and ideas relating to the microeconomic foundations of global competitiveness, lending a microeconomic perspective on some of the key areas of his recent research in business strategy, industrial economics, competitiveness, clusters, U.S. economic leadership, and economic growth and development.

  • Read more  → about Blog Rivet

Economic Policy
Tools and Technical Documents

Competitiveness Index: Where America Stands

by cmp.admin Fri, 11/15/2013 - 12:02

This 2007 report by the Council on Competitiveness benchmarks current U.S. competitiveness against twenty years of domestic and global economic data. The baseline year of 1986 was chosen because it marked the beginning of cyclical expansion in the domestic economy, a high dollar, and an exploding trade deficit, which put the concept of competitiveness on the national agenda. It also marked the creation of the Council on Competitiveness. The report is a wide-ranging assessment of how the changing global economy presents new challenges for the future.

  • Read more  → about Blog Rivet

Regional Economy
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Tools and Technical Documents

Clusters of Innovation: Regional Foundations of U.S. Competitiveness

by cmp.admin Fri, 11/15/2013 - 12:02

This national report draws heavily upon the regional studies of five pilot regions (Atlanta, Pittsburgh, the Research Triangle in North Carolina, San Diego, and Wichita) and synthesizes the implications for any region that seeks to improve its economic performance. It examines the composition and performance of regional economies, how industry clusters develop and innovation arises, how clusters affect a region's economic future, and how a region can establish a strategy and action program to drive its economy and clusters forward.

  • Read more  → about Blog Rivet

Tools and Technical Documents

Redesigning State Economic Development Agencies

by cmp.admin Fri, 11/15/2013 - 12:02

Current economic realities have provided governors with a unique opportunity to assess their economic landscapes and change their approaches to economic development. This white paper and accompanying issue brief by the National Governors Association (NGA) focus on what states are doing—and what they can do—to make their economic development agencies more effective.

  • Read more  → about Blog Rivet

Tools and Technical Documents

A Practitioner's Guide to Economic Development Tools for Regional Competitiveness in a Knowledge-Based Economy

by cmp.admin Fri, 11/15/2013 - 12:02

This report sponsored by the U.S. Economic Development Administration explores the fundamental changes within our economies: community, regional, state and national. It provides great insight into the current economic challenges and opportunities that cluster-based projects face in regions throughout the country as they aim for long-term economic prosperity.

Image: Nick Lowndes

  • Read more  → about Blog Rivet

Tools and Technical Documents

Clusters for Competitiveness: A Practical Guide & Policy Implications for Developing Cluster Initiatives

by cmp.admin Fri, 11/15/2013 - 12:02

This report illustrates the complementary advantages of applying cluster analysis to the established economy-wide analysis that is traditionally used in determining export competitiveness. Written in a non-technical perspective, this report provides an introduction to the cluster-based approach to competitiveness, 10 core tools used in cluster initiatives, discussion on the key stages involved in initiating cluster analysis, and finally discussion on the policy implications of a cluster-based approach. Also included is an annex of resource materials.

  • Read more  → about Blog Rivet

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The U.S. Cluster Mapping Project is led by Professor Michael E. Porter at the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness, Harvard Business School.

This project is funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration.