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Cluster Policy

Cluster policies are instruments of modern economic, technological and innovation policy in order to intensify the networking of business and science. This is proven to increase the ability to innovate and the competitiveness of the actors involved. In Baden-Wuerttemberg the "Cluster-Dialog" is the umbrella brand under which all cluster activities of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Housing operate.

The umbrella brand name “Cluster Dialogue” in Baden-Wuerttemberg

The economic strength of a location and its success in national and international competition largely depend on the degree of cooperation maintained between political, economic and academic stakeholders, research institutions as well as business promotion and regional support facilities. The more targeted the individual activities are coordinated and build upon one another, the better locations and cluster structures may develop.

For this reason, in mid-2007, the former Ministry of Finance and Economy initiated the Cluster Dialogue, which constitutes a central platform for an exchange of information and experiences for all cluster participants of Baden-Wuerttemberg. Under the Cluster Dialogue, a variety of cluster players come together at regular intervals in order to build and maintain networks, to exchange knowledge related to cluster management issues, to discuss new ideas of the region and to formulate their expectations of what cluster policy should provide at federal state level.

Besides the cluster and network managers, the parties integrated in that dialogue include also local and regional business promotion and economic organisations, technology and innovation platforms existing at federal state level as well as further ministries of Baden-Wuerttemberg and supporting facilities, such as the Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum or the organisation Baden-Wuerttemberg International.

Contact person
Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Housing
Unit Cluster Policy
Regional Economic Policy
Edith Köchel
Theodor-Heuss-Straße 4
70174 Stuttgart
Germany
Phone
+49 (0) 711 123-2240
Fax
+49 (0) 711 123-2145
Email
edith.koechel(at)wm.bwl(dot)de