PhD in Philosophy,
Petrova Yulia Andreevna
Lubianitskii Pavel
Yurievich
Rostov State
University of Economics (RIPE)
The
formation of the cluster policy in the European Union.
At present time, the term «competition» is
understood as the contest between business entities of market relations for the
best conditions and the results of commercial activity. During the period of
the world crisis, the competition can become the catalyst of its overcoming.
Moreover, it can demonstrate the leap in the economic development. Thus, the
economic science has faced the tasks connected with the elaboration of the
mechanism of improving quality and transparency of the competition, development
of methods of the economic crisis overcoming which would provide the
sustainable growth and competitive recovery at all levels. These targets can be
reached with the help of elaboration and development of cluster schemes which
actually are like cross-industry networks playing the role of starting points
of state economies. Clusters provide the competitive ability of the economy
within the open market conditions, and at the same time, allow overcoming
structural restrictions and the multi-industry production structure which has
been formed in a number of economic entities.
Initially, clusters represented the
«accumulation» of companies and firms which had appreciated the economically
advantageous location in the geographic proximity to each other for the purpose
of saving expenditures in the curse of the transportation of resources and
complement parts for the end product manufacturing. Later, it has been found
that the availability of institutions dealing with research and development in
close proximity is strategically advantageous.
Thus, in 80’s, in the Western Europe, the
key principle of the cluster approach was discovered, i.e. close cooperation of
manufacturing companies and scientific environment.
Later, that interrelation between
business and science has been supplemented with the interaction with local
administrations which have appreciated the potential of the cluster approach
and have started providing substantial assistance to the emerging clusters. As
the result, the triple helix principle has been formed. It has become the basis
for the modern development of clusters. This principle is the cross point of
such main institutes like a country, business, and science.
Currently, in the EU, countries provide
the stimulating influence on the clusters development. But with that, the state
does not initiate creation of clusters. It only promotes creation of favorable
conditions by means of efficient tax, budget, credit, and customs policy, and
also via creation of advanced research-and-development centers, universities,
transport and energy infrastructure, etc. which in its turn provides
introducing more competitive goods to the market.
For example: if the manufacturing company
takes a credit in Germany for the purchase and installation of new equipment,
then 50% of this credit is paid by the state represented by the administration
of respective lands.
In 2000’s, upon successful
institutionalization of regional clusters which have showed increase of the
level of competition in the European Union, the countries held the course for
their further development. It is said in the program of economic development
«Europe-2020». It is intended to intensify within this period financial support
of clusters within the frameworks of the national strategy of innovative
development and by means of stimulating programs of the European Commission.
Under conditions of internationalization
of business processes in the EU, the matter of cooperation between clusters of
different European countries has become the topical trend in recent years. It
is difficult to talk now about generation of the European inter-cluster
cooperation but the European Commission takes certain steps for the improvement
of conditions of interstate interaction. Having gained this purpose,
organizations will be able not only to provide sustainable internal growth but
also to demonstrate the good level of competitiveness with respect to Western
countries.
European cluster programs are created.
They promote development of regional clusters, their intensification with the
purpose of entering the markets of neighboring countries, increasing
international interaction with manufacturers of other countries.
Such development programs are financed
predominantly by national budgets. Only one of five development programs is
financed by the budget of EU structural funds. Structural funds of the European
Union currently provide 19% of finances for the clusters development. That is a
substantial contribution to the clusters development.
Generally speaking, interaction between
clusters in the European Union is represented in the form of experience and
knowledge exchange, search for reliable partners for entering new markets with
the purpose of creating the high-tech rival product.
It has been promoted by different interstate
platforms, programs, and initiatives. On the basis of such cooperation,
companies of different clusters find new partners in other countries, obtain an
opportunity to implement joint ideas and increase the marketability of
products.
It is important to emphasize that the
availability for the active supranational mechanism in the European Union
simplifies integration of business processes and cooperation of productions.
But there is no task of the goal-oriented intensification of cooperation processes.
It is understood that thanks to the policy of the European Commission on the
simplification of various barriers, increase of investments and receiving an
equal access to information. Companies of different clusters will increase
cooperation with each other, with scientific institutes, and research centers
of different parts of Europe. Thus, the quality of clusters operation will be
increased, and consequently the level of economies competitive ability will
also increase, particularly quality of operation of clusters of less-developed
EU countries. For the purposes of equation of EU economic development, the
European Commission is interested in the growth of quantity of competitive
clusters in the countries of the Eastern Europe and intensification of their
interaction and cooperation with the Western-European clusters. But currently
there is no information about successfulness of this policy results.
Bibliography
1. Clusters, as a new
form of competitive relations in the modern economy [digital resource] http://referatwork.ru/refs/source/ref-122446.html
2. https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CA%EE%ED%EA%F3%F0%E5%ED%F6%E8%FF [digital resource]
3. World economic
forum http://www.vigorconsult.ru/resources/global-competitiveness/ [digital resource]