Investigating the Role of Clusters and the Factors Affecting Them in the Realization of Knowledge-Based Economy (A Case of Study: The Role of Information and Communication Technology Cluste)

Today, achieving sustainable growth and development is possible through the realizing knowledge-based economy. One of the key factors for success in this model is the identification and application of knowledge and innovation. Clusters are one of the tools for accelerating the growth and sustainable development of knowledge base. By providing a good platform for the production of tacit knowledge, clusters create the groundwork for innovation and technology creation, and thus realizing a knowledge-based economy. This article selects the information technology cluster and tries to explain the position of tacit knowledge and innovation in this cluster, examining the factors affecting the development of knowledge-based information technology, in addition to explain the relationship between clusters and knowledge-based economy. The countries studied in this article are thirteen European countries. For modeling, DOLS and FMOLS methods have been used for panel data. The indicators of research and development expenditures, education expenditures, exports of goods in the field of information and communication technology, as well as the number of firms active in the ICT cluster (as an ICT cluster index) are the indicators examined. The results of this study indicate that the important and influential indicators of knowledge-based economy have a positive and significant relationship with the index of clusters.