Resumo

Since Marshall’s study (1920), researchers have been analysing business clusters and suggested that their performance cannot be detached from the historical and geographical context in which they flourish. More recently, Porter (1990) pointed that the competitiveness of countries was linked to the existence of business clusters and developed the Diamond model, in which several forces define the ability of a country to compete in an industry.

The research problem is related to the influence of the helix parts in the competitiveness factors of clusters. The problem is studied through the analysis of two clusters in the same industry, wine, in two different South American countries, Chile and Brazil. The aim of this paper is to analyse the Triple Helix influence on the competitiveness factors of clusters proposed by Zaccarelli et al (2008). This analysis is conducted through examining how Triple Helix parts influence competitiveness.

The Triple Helix literature is used. This theoretical background proposes that events as business competitiveness are analysed from the perspective of the influence of university, business and government. This research uses the competitiveness factors of clusters proposed by Zaccarelli et al (2008) and applied by Sarturi et al in two wine clusters localised in Brazil and Chile.

This article has exploratory character, because it’s not possible to define previously the Triple Helix configuration in the studied clusters. It’s also possible to assert that this article adopts a simplified perspective of the Triple Helix, that may be useful to facilitate the applicability of the model (RANGA & ETZKOWITZ, 2013). The multiple case study method is employed. The variables used are qualitative. Strategic variables are less measurable than other ones. (DUNNING, 1995, p. 96).

It’s possible to group the 11 competitiveness factors proposed by Zaccarelli et al (2008) in two different categories: (1) The ones that clearly are influenced by the three helices; (2) The ones that there isn’t enough evidence of receiving influence of the three helices.

It was found that the three helices influence only four out of the 11 factors of cluster competitiveness proposed by Zaccarelli et al (2008). The factors influenced by the three helices are: (2); (6); (10); (11). Regarding the factors that aren’t influenced by the three helices, industry influences all the factors, university influences only factor 2 and government, factor 4. The main contribution of this study is linking in more explicit way Triple Helix to competitiveness.

ETZKOWITZ, H. ; LEYDESDORFF, L.. The Dynamics of Innovation: From National Systems and ‘Mode2’ to a Triple Helix University – Industry – Government Relations. Research Policy, 29(2), 109-123, 2000. SARTURI, G.; VARGAS, C. A. F.; BOAVENTURA, J. M. G.; SANTOS, S.A. Competitiveness of Clusters: A Comparative Analysis between Wine Industries in Chile and Brazil. International Journal of Emerging Markets, Volume 11, Issue 2, pp 190 - 213, 2016. ZACCARELLI, S.B., TELLES, R., SIQUEIRA, J.P.L., BOAVENTURA, J.M.G., & DONAIRE, D.. Clusters e Redes de Negócios: uma nova visão para a gestão dos negócios.