Intra-regional economic integration: The identification and analysis of clusters in Eastern Bavaria and Central Franconia

As many establishments are embedded in regional economic structures, their competitive advantages also depend on local conditions. In many regions, these are shaped by regional clusters. Hence, for more than two decades, clusters have attracted a great deal of attention from regional economics and regional economic policy. Which role can clusters play in the progressing integration of markets and the international division of labour that accompanies it? What drives intra-regional cooperation between establishments? And do establishments that position themselves in clusters differ from others in terms of survival rates and employment growth? These are the questions Nicole Litzel addresses using the example of two economic areas in Bavaria, based on data from the cluster-oriented regional information system CORIS.