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System and Agglomeration Approach to Industrial Cluster and Region Interplay
Despite a vast strand of academic publications on industrial clustering, the mechanism of region and cluster interplay is still unclear. As a result, cluster policy in regions is often ineffective. The present paper proposes an analytical framework to model and to investigate an industrial cluster and a region mutual influence. Based on “system and criteria” model of conceptual analysis, we described six approaches to clusters. The analysis showed that all the approaches mentioned do not show the full picture of an industrial cluster and a region interplay. Drawing from the synthesis of agglomeration and system concepts, we form a new “System and agglomeration approach” that considers two key sides of the cluster. It forms a sufficient theoretical, conceptual and methodological basis for further investigation of industrial cluster and region mutual influence