Control by proximity: Evidence from the ‘Aerospace Valley’ Competitiveness Cluster

Abstract

Levy R. and Talbot D. Control by proximity: evidence from the ‘Aerospace Valley’ competitiveness cluster, Regional Studies. This paper is concerned with the links that exist between the control of inter-organizational relationships and effects of proximity. It proposes a theoretical framework that explains how geographical and organizational proximities reinforce formal and informal control mechanisms. This framework is then used to analyse mechanisms of control by proximity in a French aerospace cluster. It is observed that formal and informal control is concentrated in a small number of groups located near the majority of the establishments' members of the cluster. It is also shown that informal control mechanisms require a stronger geographical proximity than formal control mechanisms in order to operate.