Cluster policy in Slovakia and its significant regional aspects

Abstract

In Slovakia, the role of clusters has long been underappreciated, and the country still has no explicit cluster policy. The first official policy document mentioning cluster concepts and clusters was the National Strategic Reference Framework for 2007-2013. This document recognizes clusters as a tool for increasing the competitiveness of companies and a way to turn theoretical research results into global market practices. To achieve national strategy goals, it is important to incorporate national strategies on clusters into regional operational programmes. Regional governments and supporting agencies, therefore, play a crucial role in the design and implementation of strategic clusters. There is no agency, organisation or ministry in Slovakia explicitly devoted to clusters. Slovak clusters have emerged mostly from the "bottom-up," some of them with the support of regional governments. The author describes the existing cluster-based policy at a national and regional level in the country. An analysis of regional aspects of Slovak cluster policy based on telephone interviews and questionnaires directed at representatives of all Slovak self-governing regions has been carried out. To improve existing cluster policy at the regional level, recommendations are made.