• Journal of the Korean Academic Society of Industrial Cluster
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2008

Despite growing recognition of the significance of industrial clusters to regional economic success, there has been only limited attention paid to the effectiveness of cluster policies in old industrial regions. Many of these regions still retain functioning industrial clusters, or have clusters which are adopting new strategies as part of a process of regeneration. This paper argues that the effectiveness of cluster policies in old industrial regions depends upon the extent to which they recognise the evolutionary nature of industrial clusters. It reviews the literature on the transformation of old industrial regions in Europe, and examines how cluster policies have risen to prominence as a policy tool. These strands ate brought together in an exploration of cluster policies in old industrial regions. A brief case study is presented of the evolution of the steel industry supply chain in north east England. The conclusions focus upon the data requirements that form a starting point for informed policy intervention into presses of cluster evolution.