On the crest of a wave: the New Zealand boat-building cluster Online publication date: Wed, 10-Nov-2004
by Sylvie Chetty
International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business (IJESB), Vol. 1, No. 3/4, 2004
Abstract: This paper uses qualitative research to study how the New Zealand boat-building cluster evolved and how world-class competitive capabilities developed within this cluster. Porter's cluster theory is tested in this paper and the findings confirm most of his determinants of a cluster. The main contribution of this paper, however, is that it identifies additional determinants of competitive advantage within this cluster. Two such determinants are the drive for internationalisation and the role of entrepreneurs in developing the cluster. In contrast to the existing literature, the paper shows how internationalisation contributed to the development of the cluster rather than the reverse. It was through the process of internationalisation that firms started to specialise and differentiate their products and to appreciate the benefits of collaborating with each other as they tried to enter and expand in international markets. In addition, this study confirms the important role played by entrepreneurial leaders within the industry who acted as catalysts to develop this cluster.
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