Abstract
The notion of clusters has increasingly been integrated into regional economic development policies. This paper examines the extent to which maritime cluster policy strategies in Québec's coastal region are associated with employment growth in the region, and more specifically, science-based, skill-intensive employment. Whilst early evaluations conducted about a decade ago suggested that cluster policies implemented from the mid-1990s onwards had little effect, the question addressed in this paper concerns their effect over the long term. Based on descriptive statistics and trend analysis, the results reveal that the sectors targeted by the cluster policies have tended to grow more slowly within the cluster, and that jobs in the cluster are decreasingly science-intensive. At best, cluster policies have had a weak and diffused effect. This is in keeping with other recent work on clusters, and calls into question policy attempts to generate cluster dynamics in regions where these do not emerge spontaneously.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.