Member Company Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Food Valley as a Cluster Organization

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the effectiveness of the different cluster organization functions (services, activities and information sources) of Food Valley Organization in the Dutch agifood innovation system, as evaluated by its member companies. It is concluded that, in accordance with cluster organization theory, the networking formation function is the most important one, next demand articulation and innovation process management. However, our findings indicate that also visionary leadership, regional development and internationalization, stimulating entrepreneurial experimentation and providing downstream (market) information should be included in future analyses of cluster organization functions in innovation systems.