Clusters as institutional entrepreneurs: lessons from Russia

Abstract In this article, we explore whether organized clusters can act as institutional entrepreneurs to create conditions favorable innovation in their constituent members. We view self-aware and “context-embedded meta-organizations” which engage deliberate decision- strategy-making. As such, are not only shaped by environments, “traditional” cluster approaches suggest but also upon these. Their ability “change agents” is crucial countries with high barriers innovation, such most transition economies. Focusing on Russia, conduct two case studies analyze the strategies these adopt alter shape environments. find that have a dual role entrepreneurs. First, collectively environments due power they wield. Second, be mechanisms empowering actors, fostering reflexivity creativity, allowing them entrepreneurship. Moreover, both collective individual actors “bricolage” entrepreneurship compensate for lack of resources or frameworks avoid pressures ineffective institutions.