Barriers to knowledge sharing and stakeholder alignment in solar energy clusters: Learning from other sectors and regions

Abstract

Regional and national policy makers have invested heavily in the cluster concept as a means of generating value for regions, particularly through the opportunities it may present for small regional enterprises as vehicles for growth and job creation. Economic theorists such as Porter, have shaped many of policies being adopted, from a macro-economic perspective, yet the process by which actors within the group are helped (or hindered) in aligning knowledge, expertise and interests is less well understood. The implementation and development of clusters is subject to a range of local socio-technical and socio-political dynamics, which also need to be taken account of if the anticipated benefits such as wealth creation and competitiveness are to be realised. The paper uses the outcomes of research in several regional clusters to highlight recurring issues associated with the alignment of distributed knowledge and stakeholder interests, and in particular, the interests of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The paper suggests that such barriers impact on the ability of clusters to create value for regions, particularly in relation to the opportunities for the creation of employment through local SMEs that are often cited as the basis for such investment. The authors argue for the provision of opportunities to sharing knowledge and expertise within and between clusters, to ensure early identification and collective engagement of stakeholders with issues on the ground, given the evidence that SME are under-represented in policy and strategy development, and that this undermines the competitiveness and the benefits of investment in regional clusters.