Building Clusters and Partnership on the Example of Italy and Slovakia

SMEs realize that the lack of financial, material and human resources is inhibiting their further development. One of the options how to face the increasing competitive pressure is networking of SMEs. In Slovakia there are various types of SMEs (370 193 SMEs in 2003 in the form of physical and legal persons). They exist as alone economic persons. To achieve long-term economically effective existence of these subjects, it is necessary to create new suitable forms of networking of SMEs. The way is to create innovative clusters as a form of common existence of SMEs, research institutions, universities and municipalities. This way SMEs can gain the character of innovative subjects and increase the product quality at low costs. To create a meaningful net it is necessary to overcome the fear from failure in the first place. SMEs should be convinced, that creating clusters can be the way, how to increase their competitiveness. The paper is oriented on the most suitable form of networking SMEs - clusters on the example of Italy and Slovakia.