Clusters in the global knowledge based economy : knowledge gat

1.Introduction Clusters have been at the center of local industrial development studies and strategies in recent years. In a context of globalisation of industries and technologies, they appear as a strong factor in innovation and competitiveness due to the intensity of interactions they allow among actors of industrial dynamics. From this point of view, globalisation appears as a paradoxical phenomenon. While national economies are led to open themselves to international economic circuits, territories at regional or local levels appear to be acquiring a renewed importance. In the field of industry and technology, the national reference point progressively losses its relevance as the level at which activities can be positioned regarding each other, with the aim of creating a common, coherent system. Industrial organizations now transcend the national borders, and international investment flows are less and less aiming at national markets. But even in such conditions, firms do not spread out their organization in a homogeneous world space, but decide on the location and mission of their different units aiming to the capture local resources or cost advantages.