Research and innovation driven clusters and science parks: how to build synergies

Since the turn of the millenium globalisation has compelled governments to develop new policy instruments, such as research- and innovation-driven clusters, to improve the competitiveness of businesses, cities and regions. Although the now about 30 years old model on which science parks is based is different to clusters, the objective is roughly the same. Both are policy driven (in contrast with "marshallian" industrial districts or Porter's clusters) and in some areas they maintain close relations. As government supported innovation-driven clusters are more recent (and may have stolen some of the limelight) science parks must seek to re-position themselves with respect to clusters, especially through developing synergies in areas such as: providing them with a track record of failures and successes; relying on them for strengthening their impact on the local/regional economic fabric; taking advantage of public-funded programmes for clusters; and most of all satisfying the specific needs of cluster businesses (real estate and services).