THE ANALYTICAL LIMITS OF CLUSTERING APPROACHES AND THE NECESSITY OF A MACRO PERSPECTIVE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64734/bjef.1-1-03Keywords:
Clustering, Security of Supply, Macro-ClusteringAbstract
This article re-evaluates the historical evolution and primary theoretical expansions of cluster theory within a systematic literature debate. The theoretical accumulation-spanning from Marshallian externalities to industrial districts, Porterian clusters to new economic geography, and from learning regions to national innovation systems, including related variety, smart specialisation, global value chains, and economic complexity-is addressed through a common analytical framework. The study’s central finding suggests that while the existing literature provides robust explanations at the firm, sectoral, and regional scales, it remains constrained regarding the strategic organisation of national production systems, cross-sectoral integration, supply chain coordination, institutional alignment, resilience, and supply security in essential sectors. By combining a selective and interpretative literature review with conceptual synthesis, the article discusses why these limitations necessitate a higher-scale framework. In this context, the study clarifies the constitutive dimensions of a macro-perspective in cluster research and establishes a systematic groundwork for subsequent theoretical and empirical inquiries.
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