<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> The purpose of this article is to make a diagnosis of an economic activity identified as relevant in a local economy, in order to verify if it meets the criteria that characterize an industrial cluster. This paper presents the overall results of research which analyzes the case of the candy and chocolate industries from the point of view of industrial clusters. The research is relevant considering that it presents a methodology for measuring the degree of functionality of a productive activity considered as relevant in a local economy under international operation standards, which is not common in studies of countries in Latin America. The study seeks to answer the following research questions: - What is an industrial cluster and what are its characteristics ? - How to identify and evaluate an economic activity under a focus for industrial cluster? - What are the competitive strengths and opportunities for local economic activity? - Is it possible to design a strategy to promote the competitiveness of local economic activity? The paper consists of the following parts: - An introduction that presents the general problem context of the research subject is - Theoretical studies and related research methodology.Results of the investigation - Proposition of strategic intervention to improve the functionality of the local cluster studied The case study focuses on San Luis Potosí State, México, and it seeks to demonstrate the need to carry out industrial cluster initiatives as a strategy to promote enterprise development and strengthen economic activities in the manufacture of candies and chocolate, identified as relevant in the local context. </abstract>

The purpose of this article is to make a diagnosis of an economic activity identified as relevant in a local economy, in order to verify if it meets the criteria that characterize an industrial cluster. This paper presents the overall results of research which analyzes the case of the candy and chocolate industries from the point of view of industrial clusters. The research is relevant considering that it presents a methodology for measuring the degree of functionality of a productive activity considered as relevant in a local economy under international operation standards, which is not common in studies of countries in Latin America. The study seeks to answer the following research questions: - What is an industrial cluster and what are its characteristics ? - How to identify and evaluate an economic activity under a focus for industrial cluster? - What are the competitive strengths and opportunities for local economic activity? - Is it possible to design a strategy to promote the competitiveness of local economic activity? The paper consists of the following parts: - An introduction that presents the general problem context of the research subject is - Theoretical studies and related research methodology.Results of the investigation - Proposition of strategic intervention to improve the functionality of the local cluster studied The case study focuses on San Luis Potosí State, México, and it seeks to demonstrate the need to carry out industrial cluster initiatives as a strategy to promote enterprise development and strengthen economic activities in the manufacture of candies and chocolate, identified as relevant in the local context.

Evaluation of performance of local economic activity under an industrial cluster approach

Polytechnic University of San Luis Potosi, Mexico

Journal of Intercultural Management

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

The purpose of this article is to make a diagnosis of an economic activity identified as relevant in a local economy, in order to verify if it meets the...

Evaluation of performance of local economic activity under an industrial cluster approach

Published Online: May 30, 2014

Page range: 81 - 109

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/joim-2014-0006

Keywords
Industrial policy, processes and incentives, government policy, institutions and growth, model construction and estimation

© Społeczna Akademia Nauk

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Evaluation of performance of local economic activity under an industrial cluster approach

Published Online: May 30, 2014

Page range: 81 - 109

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/joim-2014-0006

KeywordsIndustrial policy, processes and incentives, government policy, institutions and growth, model construction and estimation

© Społeczna Akademia Nauk

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Keywords
Industrial policy, processes and incentives, government policy, institutions and growth, model construction and estimation