Seeing trees and forests: A comparative evaluation of business clusters and national industry associations in the New Zealand forest sector

Abstract

SummaryThis paper examines the perceptions of a sample of enterprise managers in the New Zealand forest products industry about the respective contributions of cluster groups and national industry associations. Enterprise managers are found to view these forms of association as complementary rather than as one being clearly superior to the other. This suggests that business development can benefit from the existence of both forms of association with individual enterprises matching participation with their current development needs. Government support to collective associations should be based on prior investigation of the gaps in business support rather than on prior judgements about the superiority of one form of association. This evidence is considered significant in the context of the present prioritising of clusters to the neglect of national industry associations.