Skip to main content
Home

Mapping a nation of regional clusters

Harvard Business School U.S. Economic Development Administration
EXPLORE

Search

  • 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
  • Register
  • or
  • Sign in
Welcome   Welcome  
About
Cluster
Region
Community
- View Organizations
- View Blog
- View Resources
- View Community Page
Register
Login
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
EXPLORE

Search

Register
Sign in
Harvard Business School U.S. Economic Development Administration

Resources

Add Resource

Topic

  • All Topics
  • Academic Research
  • Cluster
  • Economic Policy
  • Entrepreneurship and Innovation
  • Regional Economy
  • Tools and Technical Documents

Sources

  • All Sources
  • U.S. Cluster Mapping
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

Cluster

Why Life Science Needs Its Own Silicon Valley

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

Research shows that having a cluster – a high geographic concentration of producers, suppliers, training centers, and people working in the same field – leads to higher productivity in an industry. This Harvard Business Review article addresses the need for creating an industrial ecosystem and cluster like Silicon Valley for the life sciences industry.

  • Read more  → about Blog Rivet

Economic Policy

Fifty Ways to Leave Your Competitiveness Woes Behind: A National Traded Sector Competitiveness Strategy

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

This report from the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation suggests that the U.S. can boost its competitiveness by targeting the health of its traded sectors. Offering 50 federal policy recommendations for reviving traded sector establishments with examples including Boeing and Walmart, the report calls for a comprehensive strategy organized around the “4 Ts” (technology, tax, trade, and talent) to strengthen the ability of U.S. traded firms to compete in the global market.

  • 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

Cluster

2012 San Diego Maritime Industry Report

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

This 2012 industry report discusses the maritime business and technology innovation community that has flourished in the coastal city of San Diego, intersecting markets including fishing, ship building, defense and security, and offshore energy. The study shows that the city's maritime industry boasts $14 billion in total revenue and 46,000 direct jobs, with 8,000 in the traditional maritime space and 19,000 in "Blue Tech" or maritime technology.

  • Read more  → about Blog Rivet

Academic Research

The Economic Performance of Regions

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

This paper examines the regional economic performance, composition of regional economies, and role of clusters in the U.S. economy from 1990 to 2000. 

The performance of regional economies varies markedly in terms of wage, wage growth, employment growth and patenting rate. Based on distribution of economic activity across geography, the paper classifies U.S. industries into traded, local, and resource-dependent categories. Traded industries account for only about one-third of employment, but register much higher wages and rates of innovation and influence local wages. 

  • Read more  → about Blog Rivet

Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Academic Research

Clusters and Entrepreneurship

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

This paper examines the role of regional clusters in regional entrepreneurship, focusing on the distinct influences of convergence and agglomeration on growth in number of start-ups, as well as employment in such new firms in a given region-industry. While reversion to the mean and diminishing returns to entrepreneurship at the region-industry level can result in a convergence effect, the presence of complementary economic activity creates externalities that enhance incentives and reduce barriers for new business creation.

  • Read more  → about Blog Rivet

Regional Economy

South Carolina Competitiveness Initiative: A Strategic Plan for South Carolina

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

The state of South Carolina has for years relied on a low-cost economic strategy, but with the rise in outsourcing manufacturing to China, Mexico, and other low-cost based economies, South Carolina has since come to trail the national average in several measures of economic standing. The South Carolina Competitiveness Initiative outlines its strategic vision to build on the existing structures and clusters of the South Carolina economy, capitalizing on the strengths of the automotive, textile, chemical products, tourism, forest products, production technology, and power generation and

  • Read more  → about Blog Rivet

Academic Research

Clusters, Convergence, and Economic Performance

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

This paper evaluates the role of regional cluster composition in the economic performance of industries, clusters and regions. On the one hand, diminishing returns to specialization in a location can result in a convergence effect: the growth rate of an industry within a region may be declining in the level of activity of that industry.

  • 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

Pagination

  • First page « First
  • Previous page ‹ Previous
  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Current page 4
  • Page 5
  • Page 6
  • Page 7
  • Next page Next ›
  • Last page Last »
  • Share
  • Affiliated Sites
  • Contact Us |
  • Partners |
  • Privacy Policy |
  • Terms of Use
Reporting Copyright Infringment

Copyright © 2020 President and Fellows of Harvard College.
All rights reserved.

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.