It is estimated that some 3,000 strong clusters are operating in Europe employing 54 million specialists. More than a half of the European countries form clusters attracting 30-60 % of enterprises. The European Cluster Panorama 2016 report states that during the economic crisis, the strongest clusters managed to create jobs and, albeit not significantly, to raise wages. Currently, the cluster employees receive on average higher salaries, i.e. 3 % more in comparison with the market average.

These numbers demonstrate the importance of clusters for creation of competitive advantage of the economy, while clustering and its promotion is one of the priorities of the European Union. Clusters are sensitive to market conditions, changes and technological innovations. It is estimated that as much as one fifth of clusters have experienced strong market position changes in the period between 2008 and 2014.

The rules are changing

More changes are still expected. New technologies, automatics, robotics and digitisation in manufacturing create serious changes, challenges and opportunities. The so called fourth industrial revolution threatens to bring about core economic transformations and accelerate development of technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence, 3D printing, blockchain technologies and expansion of the sharing economy, etc. More often products become highly personalised services, the transition from a mass production to individualised and decentralised production is expected, fusion of disciplines and industrial branches is in process, completely new payments methods for public transactions and new monetary systems are being developed, and demand in new skilled professionals is growing, etc.

The experts claim that startups, which are characterised by extreme flexibility and innovation, begin to play an increasingly important role in the transforming industry, where ideas are more important than capital. What is the future forecast for clusters? How to be prepared and which competences are smart to invest into?

Clusters 4.0

In 2017, M. Götz and B. Jankowska published their study where they have theoretically analysed the links between Industry 4.0 and clusters, as well as their possible impact. The authors claim that clusters gather knowledge and economies of agglomeration based on trust and cooperation, which can contribute to the digitisation process of industry. “Notwithstanding this potential, it should be stressed that not all clusters would be able to play such prominent role. Only these equipped with adequate knowledge base and providing some expertise in the field of IT solutions, robotics, automatics, and so on, i.e. the technologies crucial to Industry 4.0 seem predestined to contribute to the emergence of fully fledged industrial internet,” state the authors.

Clusters 4.0 was one of the major topics at the European Cluster Conference 2016. The experts emphasised that clusters act as integrators, make positive impact on creation of innovations and even survival of startups. To prepare for the future, it is important that clusters are oriented towards creation of smart industry, international cooperation and cross-sector partnerships.

The vision of smart industry is not completely clear, however creation of the cluster strategies must be based on the analysis of the Smart Specialisation priorities, which are formed in respect to the prevailing trends.

Inolink project for Clusters 4.0

Promotion and Development of Innovation Networking (InoLink) is the project under the EU measure Inogeb LT coordinated by the Agency for Science, Innovation and Technology (MITA) implemented in cooperation with the Lithuanian Innovation Centre and financed by the European Regional Development Fund. The aim of the project is to stimulate integration of enterprises into clusters, to increase maturity of clusters, and to promote growth and international cooperation. 15 Lithuanian clusters are nurtured within the framework of the project through holding of the working session on directing activities towards the priority axes of the Smart Specialisation, analysis of possibilities for joint projects inside the cluster, tackling various challenges faced by clusters, search for international partners and financing sources for innovative projects, and development of new competences, etc.

For free consultations contact InoLink cluster development coordinators.