The effects of cluster policy on innovation - Compendium of evidence on the effectiveness of innovation policy intervention

The paper first reviews the main arguments underpinning cluster policy. It subsequently focuses on a number of recent experiences in supporting clusters across the OECD, and further highlights the challenges associated with the evaluation of these initiatives and available evidence on their outcomes. It then focuses on the evidence of a number of programmes (16) that are selected for closer scrutiny. The report draws on available cluster policy evaluation exercises and related academic literature to report on the impacts and outcomes, both soft and substantive, of cluster policy.