Screening Diagnostic

Consists of a preliminary analysis that identifies the opportunities and challenges that potential cluster initiatives would face. This allows prioritization of clusters for further intervention during the second phase. By incorporating information about the main businesses and supporting agents in each cluster and analyzing relevant cluster characteristics-including the number of companies, turnover, employees, etc.-the CSD provides a clear representation of the clusters in a defined territory or region. Often, CSDs lead to discovery of emerging clusters that depend on a large firm, a particular skill, or another fundamental underlying attribute of the local economy. The central purpose of the CSD is to select clusters that can then be prioritized for further intervention using a Competitiveness Reinforcement Initiative (CRI). Rather than exhaustively defining regional clusters, the CSD highlights 5 or 6 sub-clusters and provides a clearer sense of each sub-clusters potential for growth and innovation. It leaves the client with a clearer understanding of cluster boundaries, which often do not align with those of similar clusters in other regions and therefore may contradict prior assumptions. The criteria used to identify appropriate clusters will vary according to the specific objectives of the client and are tailored to the unique nature of the region and its clusters.