Aglomerados e estágios de desenvolvimento: uma comparação entre dois arranjos tradicionais

Abstract

In the last decades has been observed a significant increase in research dealing on the geographical agglomeration of firms. The interest in this theme is not only to researchers but also for public administrators, who view these agglomerations as an important source of competitiveness. Various names are developed searching to represent the peculiarities of these organizational forms, such as clusters, industrial districts, among others. Regardless of the nomenclature used, it becomes crucial to understand the formation process of these clusters. The knowledge of the history of certain sectors is important not only to identify factors that led to competitive advantage for the cluster, but also to understand its potential and what better plan for that particular stage. Given these considerations, this paper proposes to investigate the differences and similarities between the stages of development of two traditional clusters: the clothing in Divinópolis (MG) and the ceramics in São João del-Rei (MG), identifying at what level of development they are. To achieve this purpose, the study uses a triangulation of data, with data based on historiography and episodic interview. Points of convergence can be found: unemployment, income generation, increased cooperation, craftsmanship, skills, ease of access to raw materials and incentives for government. Still, there is different motivations and different government incentives such divergent factors in the development of these clusters. It emphasized that the consolidation of clusters is not only based on economic factors, but also on social, cultural and political factors.