Knowledge transfer in or through clusters: Outline of a situated approach

Abstract

Clusters usually assume a dynamic of innovation at the crossroad between proximity and distance. On the one hand, proximity triggers trust and a sense of common understanding between members that allow for the transfer of knowledge, especially its tacit components. But, at the same time, the innovativeness of the cluster also depends on distance: participants from different organizations with different skills, objectives, and interests interact in a joint network. It creates a complex context for knowledge sharing, full of creative tensions and power issues.