Life cycle and stages of development of economic Clusters: a case study of the Florianópolis tourism Cluster

Abstract

The study of evolution and growth of organizations has based a wide range of theories about the characteristics of management and the entrepreneurs, according to each phase of development in which the organization is found. The economic clusters, as local productive arrangements (LPA) in Brazil, are inter-entrepreneur organizations which concentrate economic activities around one or more local will. This paper focuses on the definition of the development phases of economic clusters, using the models of Greiner (1972) and Adizes (2001) for singular organizations, in addition to the model presented by Eurada (1999a) for clusters. Furthermore, the authors complete the proposed model using other techniques such as the location quotient and analysis of market share evolution, historical issues and support institutions. The model is then applied to the tourism cluster of Florianópoliss, Santa Catarina – Brazil. The results obtained with the model proposed were then compared to an analysis made of the same cluster by SEBRAE – Serviço de Apoio às Micro e Pequenas Empresas (CAMPOS, 2006), being the conclusions of both works complementary in the same vision.