Rethinking local business clusters: the case of food clusters for promoting community development

Abstract

The business cluster concept is perhaps the most popular paradigm for studying and promoting local and regional economic development. While the business cluster literature acknowledges the existence of both locally-oriented and export-oriented clusters, research and practice places overwhelming emphasis on the latter. This paper examines two food-related business clusters, the Maine local produce cluster and the export-oriented Mississippi catfish cluster, to shed light on often-overlooked advantages of local business clusters. The Maine local produce cluster provides an “existence proof” that local clusters can be dynamic engines of local economic growth, and can have significant advantages over export-oriented clusters in terms of stability and resiliency. We call for further research to better understand the role of local-oriented business clusters in sustainable community development.

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