Triple Helix influence on competitiveness factors: Comparison between wine clusters in Brazil and Chile

Abstract

Clusters have been studied linking their performance to the historical and geographical context, as well as to the drivers that shape the competitive strength of the nations. Among these drivers, the human factor and the university have a key role in the competitiveness of nations, as well of industries, regions and firms. In the new knowledge economy, the Triple Helix model is a mechanism of coordination that brings together government, industry and universities. The main objective of this paper is to analyse the Triple Helix influence on the competitiveness factors of clusters proposed by Zaccarelli et al (2008). The analysis is developed verifying how the Triple Helix axes influence the competitiveness factors of wine clusters, comparing the Chilean Valle del Maule to the Brazilian Serra Gaucha. The theoretical framework is the Triple Helix, combining it to the Zacarelli’s model. The method used is the multiple case study and data collection was conducted in secondary sources. The main results indicate that only four out of the eleven Zaccarelli’s model factors are influenced by the three axes of the Triple Helix. The main contribution of this paper is to bring together Triple Helix and competitiveness. There are analytical and methodological constraints.

Keywords

• clusters
• competitiveness
• wine industry
• south america
• industrial districts.