10 November 1999 | 12 November 1999 | Italy

The TCI 1999 Global Conference's theme "The Challenges of Mature and Emerging Clusters" was chosen for discussing the experiences in working with mature clusters that might be under threat as well as new and emerging clusters that could well become growth engines in the future. Cluster practitioners with different background shared their ideas and findings in operating with clusters at different stages of development and the policy and strategy tools necessary to improve their competitiveness.

Varese was chosen as the host location because of the increasing interest industrial districts debate is gaining in Italy. This debate has mainly originated by the crisis that are experimenting some mature districts and the challenges they are facing for regain competitiveness at world level. With the support of the non-profit association Club dei Distretti, TCI organised this conference to allow for discussing the main issues in the cluster world among researchers, clusters developers and policy makers.

The conference was aimed at analyzing clusters at different stages of development from a policy, strategy and operational perspective and highlight the different tools needed to develop, maintain and improve the competitiveness of clusters. It was divided in two working streams, one dedicated to "competitiveness in mature cluster: how to mantain it and how to revitalize cluster driving forces" and another one dedicated to "stimulate cluster formation and identifying and fostering seed clusters at regional level".

To facilitate the discussion among the attendees, the different conferences were divided in three workgroups where they could share opinions about which is the role of Government in cluster initiatives, what is its relation with the private sectors and how research can influence on clusters.