Study On The Competitiveness Of The Manufacturing Industrial Cluster: Based On RIBV

Economic growth has been an enigma and the long-range goal of the human society. Classical Economics and New Classical Economics hold that labor division is the source of social wealth and economic growth, and that the economy of scale based on labor division is different from that not based on labor division, in other words, vertical integrated organization is different from decentralized organization. Small enterprises, which are connected by market and industrial cluster, may play a more important role than those large integrated enterprises in economic development. The competitiveness of the industrial cluster lies in the creativity of social wealth by this special industrial organization (specialized economy of scale).In recent years, the economic achievement of Zhejiang province benefits greatly from the vigor of small and middle-sized enterprises (SMEs), which accounts for 99% of the total enterprises in Zhejiang province. The development of manufacturing industry, especially numerous traditional manufacturing industrial clusters (Block Economy), contributes much to the economic prosperous of Zhejiang Province.This phenomenon encourages me to make systematical and scientific research on the competitiveness of the manufacturing industrial cluster. More over, this research is taken out in consideration of these two following questions: First, as far as the theoretical research and inherent dynamics are concerned, it is the need of the further research of the cluster theory. Second, as far as extrinsic dynamics and practice are concerned, it is the need of improving the construction of advanced manufacturing industrial base and the further research of the cluster's policy.Instead of adopting the traditional research paradigm, which analyses the advantage of the industrial cluster by "S-C-P", this dissertation suggests a new paradigm (Resource and Integration-based View, RIBV). According to this new paradigm, the author proposes a new model---"Study on the Competitiveness of the Manufacturing Industrial Cluster: Based on RIBV". The main ideas of this model can be presented below. The competitiveness of the industrial cluster originates from the integration of all resources, which exist within cluster or not. Wealth creativity is realized by this special economic organization and its competitiveness.The principal research foci of this dissertation are: (1) what is the source of the cluster's competitiveness, namely model; (2) In what ways can the resources be integrated to cluster's capability, namely mechanism; and (3) empirical study of the theory and the model, namely measurements.During my research, questionnaires were used as research instruments during the data collecting. I sent totally 189 questionnaires to clusters in 11 areas (cities) of Zhejiang province and got back141. The response rate of valid questionnaires is 74.6%. Sample clusters include industries of textile, machinery, chemical, electric appliances, electronics, etc. Cluster scale (represented in selling revenue) of these samples ranges from tens of million to tens of billion RMB. In the data processing, I mainly used 'structural equation modeling' (Amos statistical software) to verify hypotheses in the model. After empirical and theoretical analysis, we get some important results and conclusions as follows:(1) The competitiveness of the industrial cluster originates from absorption and utilization of all resources, namely the integration of resources. The integration capability is decided by the capabilities of resource agglomeration, division & cooperation, sharing of knowledge or technology, and the result shows interrelationships among the three capabilities mentioned above.(2) There is a remarkable influence between the resource agglomeration and division & cooperation, and sharing of knowledge or technology. It shows that comparing with other economic organizations, the competitiveness of the industrial cluster originates from the capability of division & cooperation and sharing of knowledge or technology based on resource agglomeration.(...