INDUSTRIAL CLUSTERS AS A DEVICE OF STIMULATION OF COOPERATION AND INNOVATION OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES IN THE AREA OF BIO-ECONOMY

The elaboration discusses the possibilities of the usage of industrial clusters to invigorate cooperation and innovative character of enterprises from the area of industry. Its purpose is to explain why clusters are appropriate structure to increase the innovative activity of cluster members, belonging to the bio-economy sector. Increasing the innovativeness of these entities is possible due to cooperation, resource synergy and the exchange of knowledge as well as technology transfer. In addition to the theoretical approach to this issue, the article contains examples of two clusters functioning in the area of the bio-economy. The elaboration has a theoretical and overview character. There were used union and national strategically and policy papers, research studies and other information deriving from observations and conversations with the chairman of an industrial cluster the Zachodniopomorski Klaster Chemiczny Zielona Chemia.