Foreword : furthering the aims and objectives of L'institute / Roger Sugden and James R. Wilson -- 1. Introduction / Christos Pitelis, Roger Sugden and James R. Wilson -- 2. A conceptual framework for firm cooperation and clusters, and their impact on productivity / Christos Pitelis and Anastasia Pseiridis -- 3. Clusters, governance and the development of local economies : a framework for case studies / Roger Sugden, Ping Wei and James R. Wilson -- App. The development of local economies and the possible impact of public policy : a framework for case studies / J. Robert Branston, Lauretta Rubini, Silvia Sacchetti, Roger Sugden, Ping Wei and James R. Wilson -- 4. A perspective on clusters, localities and specific public goods / Marco Bellandi -- 5. Knowledge and clusters / Nick Henry and Steven Pinch -- 6. FDI, clusters and knowledge sourcing / Lisa De Propris and Nigel Driffield -- 7. The institutional dynamics at work in territories : between local governance and global regulation / Jean-Pierre Gilly and Jacques Perrat -- 8. Local clusters, trust, confidence and proximity / Claude Dupuy and Andre Torre -- 9. Clustering of productive activities : a terrain for employment relations / Miriam Quintana and Valeria Pulignano -- 10. Cluster trajectories in developing countries : a stage and eclectic approach applied to survival clusters in Central America / Mario Davide Parrilli -- 11. Globalisation, governance and clusters : North Staffordshire ceramic and Prato textile industries / Silvia Sacchetti and Philip R. Tomlinson -- 12. The policy process : clusters versus spatial networks in the Basque Country / Mari Jose Aranguren, Miren Larrea and Itziar Navarro -- 13. Is distance dead? : high-tech clusters, analysis and policy perspectives / Marco R. Di Tommaso, Daniele Paci, Lauretta Rubini and Stuart O. Schweitzer.