Are clustering and R&D institutions in post-socialist states functional tools for sustainable development?

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the process of achieving sustainable development at a regional level in post-socialist states in the context of the clusters concept. In spite of the research on how it is achieved in particular countries, it remains under-researched or the results are in conflict. We consider if qualitative parameters of regions, the complex process of dependence between R&D financing in regions, whether the policies implemented in the development processes of post-socialist countries are important for the greater development of clustering and the higher concentration of clusters. The empirical analysis is based on Spearman’s ρ rank correlation and the stepwise regression analysis. We find that dependencies between the functioning of clusters and selected factors of the sustainable and qualitative development of regions were confirmed. The research shows that the expected effects are not clear, albeit that such policies resulted in a change in the direction of the activities, and that better performance can be expected by taking directional measures. Overall, our findings confirm the expected dependencies of involving public financing on R&D and clusters in regions. We find that the policies implemented in the post-socialist states do not necessarily involve large-scale permanent environmental improvement.

KEYWORDS:

• Cluster
• sustainable development
• post-socialist states
• regional development
• R+D financing

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The project is financed by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education in Poland within the auspices of the programme “Regional Initiative of Excellence” 2019–2022, project number 015/RID/2018/19, total amount of funding 10,721,040.00 PLN. Petr Hlaváček also would like to thank to the European Union, the European Social Fund and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic for the financial support his research activities in the frame of the project Smart City – Smart Region – Smart Community – CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/17_048/0007435).