COOPETITION AS AN ATTRIBUTE OF CLUSTERS FOSTERING INNOVATIVENESS OF ENTERPRISES - THE CASE OF ONE CREATIVE CLUSTER
In the literature one can come across numerous definitions of clusters. Despite slight differences there is the compliance among experts that coopetition is a crucial attribute of clusters. Cooperation and competition which constitute coopetition have been traditionally perceived as opposites. But nowadays this kind of business relationships is becoming more and more popular and recognized as a solution fostering innovativeness of companies. The purpose of this paper is a brief presentation of the concept of clusters, creativity and coopetition as a key characteristic of clusters and its exemplification by announcing the results of the research carried out by the author in relation to coopetition in Leszno Printing and Advertising Cluster. The experiences of this creative cluster show that it is possible to combine such different ways of behaviour of enterprises as co-operation and competition which is sometimes referred to as the symbiosis of water and fire and to exploit it in fostering innovativeness of companies.