Economic Geography and Importance of Local Knowledge Networks in Industrial Clusters; the Case of Khuzestan Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Cluster

In recent years, more attention has been paid to the role of knowledge networks in the economic growth of regions. It is widely believed that regional growth is largely dependent on the value created within local knowledge networks by multiple actors (firms, knowledge institutions, and public institutions). Interactions between these actors take place within local networks. The purpose of this study is to better understand local knowledge networks as an important determinant of regional growth and to investigate the role of knowledge institutions in these networks in a cluster. In this study, a case study with the social network analysis approach was adapted to provide empirical evidence of the characteristics of local knowledge networks and the role of universities, research centers, and support institutions. Innovation survey and network survey methods were used to collect primary data. The results of this research show the structural difference in monitoring, labor mobility, and collaboration networks, and also the different positions of knowledge institutions in each knowledge networks. Among the linkages of firms with knowledge institutions, the largest number of ties is related to interactions with universities in the region. Also, local universities are the most important source of recruitment of skilled personnel in the region. But the level of collaboration and monitoring between industrial firms and knowledge institutions is low. Firms with formal R&D units are more active in knowledge networks, overall.