This study aims to answer three research questions in order to understand and explain the impact of clusters on both entrepreneurship and the relationship between entrepreneurship and regional development: Is the level of entrepreneurship in regions with clusters higher than that of regions without clusters? Is the relationship between the level of entrepreneurship and regional development stronger in regions with clusters than in regions without clusters? If regions with clusters are associated with different levels of entrepreneurship and stronger relationships between entrepreneurship and regional development, what factors explain those differences? KeywordsSocial CapitalRegional DevelopmentKnowledge SpilloverExternal NetworkDisplacement EffectThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

Few other issues attract so much international interest and debate as globalisation.A search of the Internet using Google generates about 20,700,000 hits for the concept of globalization.I With such a widespread use of the concept both in academic and political circles, it is natural that the meanings attributed to the concept vary a lot.Clark (2000) sees it as the process of creating networks of connections among actors at multicontinental distances, mediated through a variety of flows including people, information, ideas, capital, and goods.Norris (2000) describes globalisation as a process that erodes national boundaries, integrates national economies, cultures, technologies, and governance, while it produces complex relations of mutual interdependence.Others view globalisation as a process fuelled by, and resulting in, increased cross-border flows of goods, services, money, people, information, and culture (Held et ai., 1999).Observing that the above descriptions of stress producing friction and rigidity in cross-border flows, we suggest that globalisation should be understood as the increasing international interdependence, integration, and interaction among people, companies, regions, and countries.Thus, political, economic, financial, environmental, social, and cultural processes that are global in scope are exerting a growing influence at the local, regional, national, and supra-national level. 2 From an economic perspective, globalisation 3 can be understood as the growing economic interdependence of regions and countries worldwide through an increasing volume and variety of interregional and international trade in goods and services and of capital flows and a more rapid and widespread diffusion of knowledge and technology.4

Perhaps the most exceptional aspect of the current era of globalisation is that entrepreneurship has become the engine for local processes of economic, social and cultural development throughout the world. This important new book brings together a number of leading scholars in the field to explore the development aspects of globalisation, in particular those that foster the evolution of entrepreneurs in local–global processes.

Perhaps the most exceptional aspect of the current era of globalisation is that entrepreneurship has become the engine for local processes of economic, social and cultural development throughout the world. This important new book brings together a number of leading scholars in the field to explore the development aspects of globalisation, in particular those that foster the evolution of entrepreneurs in local–global processes.

Perhaps the most exceptional aspect of the current era of globalisation is that entrepreneurship has become the engine for local processes of economic, social and cultural development throughout the world. This important new book brings together a number of leading scholars in the field to explore the development aspects of globalisation, in particular those that foster the evolution of entrepreneurs in local–global processes.