Leveraging the benefits of business clusters: A branding and stakeholder management framework

In terms of managing the cluster, emphasis is given to how the diverging and converging interests of members can be managed. A stakeholder framework is used as a means of theoretically unifying the common interests of group members, which at the same time recognizes that they are independent entities. In terms of marketing the cluster, a key issue addressed in this chapter is branding. Many clusters are obscure with limited awareness. We take the view that precincts of small business clusters need to be branded properly, and we develop a framework in order for this to be done. Branding principles guide this work. The chapter also explores how multiple clusters can be comarketed in one region, generally through e-commerce and specifically through e-malls.