While the industrial view to international collaboration is strongly oriented on company functions such as R&D, Production, Procurement or Sales & Marketing, Cluster collaboration is much more focused to relationships between entities. Therefore major fields of international collaboration between clusters are building trust, exchange of information and experience, matching capabilities, competencies and companies or joint projects. Cluster collaborations therefore follow a much more collaborative and open approach.
- In target regions with little information about local cluster structure and where contacts are yet to be developed, a direct visit (e.g. fact finding mission) might be an appropriate start to learn about each regions circumstances and potential points of contact.
- Once contacts are established, it is important to have opportunities for regular meetings with relevant international partner’s representatives. Mutual hosting of visitors is a vital tool. This creates a certain level of mutual trust between cluster managers on the one hand and improves mutual knowledge of each other’s cluster structure and environment on the other.
- Performing business missions and matchmaking opportunities for respective cluster members is a promising approach for closer collaboration between clusters on international level.
- Performing business missions and matchmaking opportunities for respective cluster members is a promising approach for closer collaboration between clusters on international level.