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Mapping a nation of regional clusters

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    • I am an Economic Developer

      Are you trying to determine a strategy for your organization, region, or industry? Then follow our Economic Developer path.

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    • I am a Policymaker

      Are you hoping to effect change in the economic landscape through federal, state, or local government policy choices? Then follow our Policymaker path.

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    • I am an Academic or Researcher

      Are you interested in learning more about clusters and conducting action-oriented research? Then follow our Academic or Researcher path.

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    • I am in the Private Sector

      Are you looking into the economic competitiveness of a region through the lens of the private sector? Then follow our Private Sector path.

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  • Cluster
    • Data by Cluster

      A cluster is a regional concentration of related industries that arise out of the various types of linkages or externalities that span across industries in a particular location. The U.S. Benchmark Cluster Definitions are designed to enable systemic comparison across regions. View and compare clusters across the U.S.

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    • Frequently Asked Questions

      How do I compare different clusters on a national level?

      How do I find my region’s strongest cluster(s)?

      How do I identify which cluster my industry belongs in?

      How do I compare local vs traded clusters?

      Are there overlaps between the clusters?

  • Region
    • Data by Region

      A region is broadly defined as a county, economic area (EA), metro/micropolitan statistical area (MSA), or state. The U.S. Benchmark Cluster Definitions use the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis defined economic areas. View and compare regions across the U.S.

      View Data by Region
    • Frequently Asked Questions

      How do I compare different regions?

      How do I build a region to meet my needs?

      How is my region doing, especially in comparison to its peer regions?

      How do I find subregions related to my region?

      How do I use the map view to visualize economic data across the country?

  • Community
    • Organizations

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    • Blog

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    • Resources

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    • Community

      The Community of Practice enables practitioners to share Resources, post Blogs, and find partner Organizations. View and contribute content of interest to the cluster based economic development community.

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Harvard Business School U.S. Economic Development Administration
region state north carolina

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  1. Regions
  2. North Carolina
  3. Related Blog Posts

Strong Cities, Strong Communities (SC2) Challenge for Greensboro, NC


The City of Greensboro, NC, has a challenge for you: come up with a local economic development strategy to accelerate job growth and business expansion, and enhance the City’s overall quality of life. Your reward is putting the City on the right track for future success. Your team will compete for cash prizes from a total prize pool of $1 million and the right to say your ideas paved the way for revitalization of NC’s third largest City.

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SSTI: U.S. R&D spending and intensity by state, 2006-2011


In a recent blog article, SSTI reports the spending and intensity of U.S. research & development from 2006 to 2011. During this five year period, U.S. total R&D investment grew by 23.37 percent. California, in addition to ranking near the top of the list of R&D-focused states, leads in total R&D spending. In 2011, the state's spending reached $91.4 billion, accounting for more than one-fifth all U.S. research investment. Other high-ranking states include Massachusetts, Texas, Maryland, and New York. 

U.S. News & World Report Op-Ed: A Lesson in development from Western North Carolina


Western North Carolina has faced economic challenges for decades. Industries that once brought prosperity – tobacco, textiles, furniture manufacturing – have waned. As a largely rural area, it is not an easy place to develop new industry. Rather than continue bidding wars with other locations to chase "the next big thing," the region decided to focus on its local assets, and businesses with an organic connection to the region. A cluster of outdoor equipment companies has emerged, one that taps the recreational opportunities of the Blue Ridge Mountains as it competes on a national scale.

Cluster-led strategy for Advanced Manufacturing in the South holds promise


The Southern Governors’ Association, under its president Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear, recently commissioned the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI) to conduct an economic analysis regarding the value of a regional approach to support the South's advanced manufacturing sector.

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The U.S. Cluster Mapping Project is led by Professor Michael E. Porter at the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness, Harvard Business School.

This project is funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration.