Professional Cluster Management & Innovation

The proliferation of (organised) initiatives to work in a cluster-based dynamic throughout the world require more specialised cluster managers who incorporate new executive skills related to the reality on the ground and who are capable of generating greater added value in their professional work through a greater mastery of strategic skills.
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The objectives of this programme are as follows:
 

• Students will acquire the necessary (practical) methodological knowledge and skills to carry out cluster promotion and management, with special emphasis on the definition of future cluster strategy and the definition and execution of collaborative projects, especially as relates to innovation.
   
• They will also improve their strategic skills as cluster managers as they identify, promote and manage clusters in order to enable them to improve their decision-making and management processes.
   
• As a consequence, the students will learn to promote and present a larger number of collaborative cluster-based innovation projects that are coherent with strategic business goals.
   
• They will also begin to develop an online and offline cluster networking platform in order to enable the joint launch of innovative projects by national and international clusters.
  
   

This programme is designed for:
 

• Managers of clusters or innovative business groups.
   
• Newly hired cluster managers poised to begin their new job in the near future.
   
• Cluster-policy directors at professional associations or other agents who may participate in or be involved with clusters (representatives of technology centres or university technology-transfer centres, directors of chambers of commerce, representatives of local or regional government agencies dedicated to economic development, etc.).
   

Modules 1 and 2

Session 1

1. Cluster policy as a tool for improving competitiveness.
2. Cluster mapping.
3. Cluster-mapping case study and strategy.
4. Strategic decisions. 

Dinner with a Cluster Manager

Session 2
 

1. Application of strategic analysis to a cluster.
2. Innovation management.
3. Cluster-innovation systems.
4. Case study and international benchmarking.

1. Basics of marketing and sales.
2. From strategy to action plan (international examples).

Module 3

Session 4

1. Finance for non-financial executives.
2. Case of cluster management: Cluster governance and  project management. 

 Dinner with a Cluster Manager

1. Financing and indicators in clusters.
2. Cluster management Instruments and identification of best practices among participants.
3. Leadership and executive skills of a Cluster Manager.

The programme will incorporate highly interactive theory/practice sessions led by experts in cluster development; talks by national and international experts; four case studies written ex professo; small cluster-development student workgroups; a theory module covering the basics of business strategy, marketing, innovation management, and executive skills; and case studies by ESADE faculty members.

Students will have access to an online platform featuring all course content as well as a debate forum. Students will be required to complete some take-home work (i.e. read case studies before coming to class and prepare debate questions about them).
 
Due to the programme's practical orientation and focus on innovative projects, each student will be required to propose an End-of-Programme Project and submit it at the end of the course.

This combination makes for a programme that is:

Broad-based
Pragmatic
Oriented towards innovation projects

Program Director Barcelona

see CV

see CV

Barcelona