• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.302-318
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• 2008

As socio-economic paradigms have been moving towards the knowledge-based capitalism from the industrial capitalism, it is obvious that research on industrial agglomeration and regional innovation has been explosively increased. However, there is a contradictory tendency that the terms and concepts, which are related to industrial agglomeration, have became less clear and more fuzzy. In this sense, this paper attempts to tackle and reconsider the concept, typology and theories of agglomeration and (or) cluster in economic geography. The main claims are as follows. Firstly, the terms and concepts related to industrial agglomeration and cluster need to be clear. It seems to be that cluster is received as an umbrella concept of agglomerations all-embracing the varieties of a geographical concentration of industry. However, the authors claim that the cluster concept should be part of the diverse types of industrial agglomeration. Secondly, the tendency of a less clear definition on agglomeration and cluster could make it difficult to identify the types of agglomeration being in the forms of diversity. Such a tendency would result in a misguided understanding and interpretation of a typology of agglomeration. Finally and most importantly, as perspectives or theories that are associated with industrial agglomeration and cluster show increasingly a propensity of convergence, it is problematic that related theories and perspectives lose their own identity and distinctiveness.