Proximity as a communication resource for competitiveness: a rationale for technology clusters

The paper deals with the role of proximity in sustaining technology districts' competitiveness. We analyse the effects of three main dimensions of proximity, namely, geographical, cognitive and organisational on the learning processes and we argue that proximity can be considered as a communication system, enabling firms to carry out processes of external learning and to interconnect to each other by forming clusters. Then, we identify the main factors that affect the three main dimensions of proximity, and consequently can influence the competitive success of technology districts. Third, we propose an extension of the concept of technology district, which we call technology cluster, that involves all the three considered dimensions of proximity. Finally, we present two cases related to European technology districts (Castel Romano and Toulouse) that can be considered as technology clusters.