Evaluating clusters for learning : a guide for cluster policymakers and practitioners
(2022)- Abstract
- Cluster-based programmes are used by regions across the globe as part of their industrial, innovation and development policies. They have become a key tool in smart specialisation strategies and are increasingly used to address social challenges. The contemporary popularity of cluster policies reflects the complexity of innovation and production processes, which places a premium on effective collaboration across actors with shared challenges and/or complementary capacities.
As interest in clusters has grown, the need for effective evaluation has also risen, not least to be able to show the return on investment in cluster initiatives. However, cluster evaluation has long been a source of frustration, with no recognised norms and a... (More) - Cluster-based programmes are used by regions across the globe as part of their industrial, innovation and development policies. They have become a key tool in smart specialisation strategies and are increasingly used to address social challenges. The contemporary popularity of cluster policies reflects the complexity of innovation and production processes, which places a premium on effective collaboration across actors with shared challenges and/or complementary capacities.
As interest in clusters has grown, the need for effective evaluation has also risen, not least to be able to show the return on investment in cluster initiatives. However, cluster evaluation has long been a source of frustration, with no recognised norms and a lack of sophistication in tools to capture the impacts of policy interventions.
Building the right evaluation framework for any cluster program placed in any part of world is one of the most common challenges when managing a cluster initiative or policy. The idea with the TCI Evaluation Guide is to share experiences and learnings from across the world on how to build a better evaluation framework. Only with better evaluation tools and methods can we keep continuing learning and improving our cluster work – and create better cluster programmes and initiatives with higher impact.
This guide offers a cluster evaluation framework, ten key evaluation principles to consider, specific tools and methods for evaluation and a range of evaluation cases from across the world. The guide is structed in six parts to help develop a coherent cluster evaluation strategy. The guide is for all interested in cluster evaluation. For policymakers at all levels of experiences running a cluster program. For cluster managers wanting to monitor and track their impact. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/89dc11d3-28c2-4640-8938-9142ff6f5133
- author
- Smith, Madeline ; Wilson, James and Wise, Emily LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2022-10
- type
- Book/Report
- publication status
- published
- subject
- categories
- Popular Science
- pages
- 36 pages
- publisher
- TCI Network
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 89dc11d3-28c2-4640-8938-9142ff6f5133
- date added to LUP
- 2023-06-20 15:36:07
- date last changed
- 2023-06-29 11:34:31
@techreport{89dc11d3-28c2-4640-8938-9142ff6f5133,
abstract = {{Cluster-based programmes are used by regions across the globe as part of their industrial, innovation and development policies. They have become a key tool in smart specialisation strategies and are increasingly used to address social challenges. The contemporary popularity of cluster policies reflects the complexity of innovation and production processes, which places a premium on effective collaboration across actors with shared challenges and/or complementary capacities.<br/><br/>As interest in clusters has grown, the need for effective evaluation has also risen, not least to be able to show the return on investment in cluster initiatives. However, cluster evaluation has long been a source of frustration, with no recognised norms and a lack of sophistication in tools to capture the impacts of policy interventions.<br/><br/>Building the right evaluation framework for any cluster program placed in any part of world is one of the most common challenges when managing a cluster initiative or policy. The idea with the TCI Evaluation Guide is to share experiences and learnings from across the world on how to build a better evaluation framework. Only with better evaluation tools and methods can we keep continuing learning and improving our cluster work – and create better cluster programmes and initiatives with higher impact.<br/><br/>This guide offers a cluster evaluation framework, ten key evaluation principles to consider, specific tools and methods for evaluation and a range of evaluation cases from across the world. The guide is structed in six parts to help develop a coherent cluster evaluation strategy. The guide is for all interested in cluster evaluation. For policymakers at all levels of experiences running a cluster program. For cluster managers wanting to monitor and track their impact.}},
author = {{Smith, Madeline and Wilson, James and Wise, Emily}},
institution = {{TCI Network}},
language = {{eng}},
title = {{Evaluating clusters for learning : a guide for cluster policymakers and practitioners}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/150974619/TCI_ECGuide_FINAL.pdf}},
year = {{2022}},
}