Do clusters contribute to a divergence among the European regions? A study of the spatial patterns of knowledge-flows of the Scania life science cluster

Abstract: This research was inspired from two of the European Union’s development policies: the cluster-approach with the goal of economic growth as well as the cohesion policy aiming for a divergence among the European regions. The paper tries to deal with one of the key-concepts of this policy by looking at the spatial patterns of the knowledge flow from a case study of the Scania life science, to see if there is a spill-over effect from the clusters to the non-core regions. It gives an account of the theoretical framework of clusters and the knowledge flow of the cluster. Through previous empirical work from the Scania cluster and new qualitative interviews from key-persons in the cluster an analysis is done of the characteristics of the knowledge flows. The conclusion is that the knowledge collaboration’s spatial diffusion “jumps” from the cluster to other life science intense hubs or industries, with no signs of a spill-over effect to the non-core regions.