THE GENESIS OF CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT AS AN INSTRUMENT FOR STRENGTHENING NATIONAL ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive theoretical and historical analysis of the genesis of cluster theory in the context of the evolution of economic thought and the transformation of approaches to the spatial organization of production, innovation-driven development, and the competitiveness of economic systems. It is substantiated that the formation of the cluster paradigm has a long-term evolutionary nature and originates in the works of J. von Thünen, A. Marshall, and J. Schumpeter, who laid the conceptual foundations for the localization of economic activity, agglomeration effects, and innovation dynamics. Their ideas created the theoretical basis for understanding the spatial concentration of production and the role of innovation as a key driver of economic growth. It is demonstrated that the further development of the cluster approach is associated with the theories of growth poles proposed by F. Perroux and cumulative causation developed by G. Myrdal, which explain the mechanisms of spatial concentration of economic activity and the self-reinforcing nature of competitive advantages. These concepts made it possible to interpret clusters as dynamic systems capable of accumulating resources, knowledge, and human capital, thereby generating sustained centers of economic development. Particular attention is paid to the works of G. Becattini and M. Granovetter, within which clusters are interpreted as socially embedded network formations whose competitiveness is determined by the interaction of economic, social, and institutional factors. This perspective emphasizes the role of social capital, trust, and formal and informal networks in reducing transaction costs and stimulating innovation. It is argued that cluster theory acquired a coherent theoretical and applied framework in the works of M. Porter, who systematized previous research and proposed an integrated model of clusters as an effective instrument for enhancing national and regional competitiveness. The article also generalizes contemporary Ukrainian approaches to cluster development, including M. Voinarenko’s pentagonal “5-G” model and the institutional interpretations proposed by Yu. Ulianchenko. It is concluded that the innovation-driven cluster model represents an effective mechanism for economic structural modernization, intensification of innovation and investment processes, and ensuring sustainable regional development under conditions of globalization and increasing international competition. A model for the cluster-based recovery mechanism based on the principles of economic resilience has been substantiated.