Government-launched cluster initiative in developing country: A survey study of modern design industry cluster around Tongji University

The paper first presents three key analytical frameworks - cluster initiatives and cluster initiative lifecycle - that may be used to explain how cluster initiative affect cluster development. CIs in developed, developing and transition countries are different. In developing and transition countries, cluster initiatives which are donor-initiated CIs are typically centralized to the national level. However, as the biggest developing country, the CIs which happened in China are different. The modern design industry cluster around Tongji University will be planned to be the largest design industry cluster in China. Government-launched cluster initiative in modern design industry cluster around Tongji University is then discussed as a case in point to analyze the process of cluster initiative influencing cluster development in developing country. The paper also made a evaluation of this cluster initiative and some characteristics of Chinese CIs can be found.