How does proximity affect interfirm marketing cooperation? A study of an agribusiness cluster

This study examines marketing cooperation between firms co-localized in an agribusiness cluster, using the proximity perspective developed in economic geography. After a review of the relevant literature, we develop a scale to measure both interfirm marketing cooperation and different dimensions of proximity (cognitive, geographical, institutional, organizational and social), and test the interrelationships among these elements within the context of Chile, an emerging economy. The findings support the conclusion that interfirm marketing cooperation in the chosen agribusiness cluster is mainly dependent on social proximity. Moreover, contrary to what is found in the literature on other types of cooperation, geographical proximity is not particularly relevant.