Industrial Clusters in the Tianjin Area

Abstract

In this time of economic globalization, economic regionalization develops rapidly. The reason is that the region has been an agglomeration centre for enterprise clusters, qualified personnel, funds, markets, information, infrastructures, important regional studies and networks as well as a tie of integration. Economic globalization benefits from the development of transportation and information technology. A well-developed network of information and transportation in modern society makes it possible for one industrial sector to very conveniently gain material support from a distant region and then sell its products to more distant markets. However, as we have observed, economic globalization has not successfully reduced the distinction among regions, though the economic level of each region has taken on a dynamic look. Instead, many superior industrial sectors are still tightly connected with geographical features. The Competitive Advantage of Nations (1980), written by Michael E. Porter, an American scholar, listed some lasting industries, such as chocolate in Switzerland, flowers and plants in the Netherlands, computers in the USA and so on. All of these industries have the characteristic of regional agglomeration.