The Hindu Business Line : Cluster culture — key tool for Italian entrepreneurship

But officials from the Lombardi region will tell you seriously that there are on an average 32 entrepreneurs per square km, and that the region has 7,62,401 active businesses, mostly small- and medium-sized, and that the cluster culture, the reason for such entrepreneurship, is a distinctly Italian phenomenon.

At the seminar on `Industrial clusters of Lombardi: A driving force for economic growth' in Mumbai, most speakers extolled the success of the cluster tradition in the Lombardi region.

In fact, clusters are one of the reasons for Italy to be an economic power to reckon within the European Union. The Lombardi region has a population of nine million, and accounts for 21 per cent of the national GDP. Interestingly, industry accounts for 35 per cent, commerce 28 per cent, public administration 13 per cent, services 22 per cent and agriculture 2 per cent the region's GDP.

According to Mr Roberto Cova, Vice-Director, Industrial SMEs Co-operation and Tourism Department, Lombardi, the clusters are supported through financial legislation and efforts are on to strengthen and create five metaclusters. These would be leverage the R&D strengths of the 12 universities in Italy.

Some of the areas Lombardi is looking to develop are bio-technology, food and non-food sectors.

In fact over the next three years, there are plans afoot to invest Euro 60 million in research and development, with a tender worth about Euro 25 million to be published in a few days.

Companies that will have a high degree of co-operation with big companies and universities will benefit from the same.

Interestingly, the Italians, who already have successful co-operative business ventures with Latin America and Europe, hope to replicate their success in Maharashtra.

Officials from both sides hope that such ventures could come up in the areas of manufacturing wooden furniture, handicrafts, leather, and textiles.

Some of the `target' areas in Maharashtra are Navi Mumbai, Ichalkaranji, Roha, Kolhapur and Bhiwandi.

Mr Giorgio Pozzi, Minister, Handicrafts and New Economy, Lombardi, who came to Mumbai especially for the occasion, submitted a proposal to the Maharashtra Government to create a joint task force between Milan and Mumbai to promote Indian handicrafts exhibitions in Milan.

Even Italian jewellers are looking for an entry into the Indian market, but have to work around the customs duties first.

Officials, businessmen, designers, chefs and wine masters from Italy are in India for a month-long festival showcasing the regions of Piemonte, Umbria, Vicenza, and Lombardi.

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