Lilla Knop

The Process of Cluster Management

The goal of this paper is to present the process of cluster management, adopting the assumptions of the contemporary network approach to trends and changes in the understanding of the essence of management. The concept of cluster management is based on the coherent and balanced development of knowledge, structure and trust—the KST concept components—promoting the realization of the conscious idea of a cluster, while assuming the strategic intermittence of the environment. The significance of each of the management levels (strategic and operational) is dependent on the intensity of operational activities and the breadth of horizontal problems solved by the cluster. The interweaving strategic and operational levels emphasise the necessity of diversifying coordination mechanisms. One such example is in the existence of a solid cluster structure, which supports the network and the operational activities of the cluster. Another mechanism is the existence of integration structures based on the assumptions of cluster governance, which are responsible for the effects and strategic future of a cluster. The effectiveness of this cluster management process model is supplemented by the following cluster management functions: shaping, activation, configuration, mobilization, animation, synthesizing and learning.

Creative Clusters Against the Background of the Development of Clusters in Poland

This article presents the characterization of creative clusters on the 6 background of the development of clusters in Poland. The obtained research re7 sults are the effect of analysis on thorough inventory of clusters in Poland, which 8 took place with the participation of the author. The description has been made in 9 five basic areas: the number of clusters, year of creation, number and structure of 10 cluster members, employment in clusters, cluster specialization. The tools used in 11 the research were: telephone interviews, e-mail questionnaire and expert assess12 ment. 13

Cooperation in Clusters and Networks – Creativity and Innovativeness Challenges: An Introduction

Nowadays we witness a growing role of cooperation in numerous areas of human activity: 10 business, culture, society, administration and science. In these overlapping areas a consolidat11 ing factor are social relations as well as shared norms and ethical values. Social relations con12 stitute a foundation of other relations in clusters and inter organizational networks: formal 13 relations, business relations, knowledge transfer. Inter-organizational cooperation also relates 14 to different areas of expertise, including creativity or human ability to create new, unprece15 dented solutions. Cooperation in this area occurs in networks and clusters created and devel16 oped in creative industries called creative clusters or creative networks. Both creative net17 works as well as creative clusters are characterized by specialization (according to the types 18 of activity referred to as creative and cultural industries), regional concentration and the po19 tential of actors: entrepreneurs, designers, scientific institutions and support institutions. This 20 issue of Scientific Papers of Silesian University of Technology Organization and Manage21 ment Series presents the results of a research project entitled ‘Models of knowledge manage22 ment in networks and clusters in creative industries in Poland and EU countries.’ 1 The pur23 pose of the project was to define the specificity of the processes of creation and knowledge 24 transfer in networks and creative clusters. 25 The role of creative industries as well as networks and clusters in these industries results, 26 among other things, from the economic value of these sectors. In order to precisely or in an 27 estimate manner determine the value of turnover in the creative industries, the number of em28 ployees or other variables we should adopt the method of their identification and classifica29 tion. This is the scientific basis for defining specializations and activity of creative clusters. 30 This issue was addressed in this paper by Lilla Knop and Sławomir Olko, the article entitled 31

Clusters in Cultural and Creative Industries in Europe – Specialisation and Activities

CLUSTERS IN CULTURAL AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES 4 IN EUROPE – SPECIALISATION AND ACTIVITIES 5 6 Abstract. The paper presents the characteristics of clusters and cluster organi7 zations operating in cultural and creative industries. To present the sector in terms 8 of sales and employment values the statistical data were analysed, using different 9 approaches to determining the scope of the creative sector (Eurostat, International 10 Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers as well as European Cluster 11 Observatory). The data are compiled with the number of clusters in the EU coun12 tries. Presented results shows the need for continues monitoring the cultural and 13 creative sectors to adapt national and regional innovation policy and coordinate 14 the cooperation between creative industries and other sectors of the nation15 al/regional economy. 16