@article{L. Andreeva_2017, title={CLUSTERS AS PLATFORMS FOR SMES LEARNING AND INTERNATIONAL LINKAGES}, volume={20}, url={https://ikm.mk/ojs/index.php/kij/article/view/3663}, abstractNote={<p>The human nature is based on curiosity and people have been always looking for new opportunity, trying to find new places, to exchange products and ideas. Cross-cultural interactions are not new, they are just constantly changing. The forces driving internationalization have been mainly, trade of goods and flows of finances. Nowadays the drivers of global interaction are increasingly knowledge-based. The unprecedented fast technological change in Information Communication Technology (ICT), the internet and the rise of emerging economies have transformed the nature of international linkages. The global environment impose additional challenges, such as changes in climate, financial crises and others. This article attempts to gain additional, deeper understanding of the role of Clusters on the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises’ (SMEs) international linkages, learning processes and cooperation. Although these issues have been studied within the Clusters and industrial regions literature, the aim of the article is to provide additional view on the collaborative mechanisms of learning. The knowledge and the technological learning of SMEs are strongly influenced by the context and the region. The industrial districts and Clusters are important as a collective entity of economic activities, social and institutional relationships. Cluster management reinforce the notion of making the knowledge of each individual firm meaningful by recognizing the social nature of leaning and knowledge creation. Exchange of ideas and international cooperation stimulate the human creativity and accelerate the innovation. Cheaper inputs and new technology from abroad make the companies (SMEs) more competitive. It creates inequality among people and districts. The future studies shall focus more on the human side of Cluster knowledge management. The SMEs have usually limited capacity, scarce financial possibilities, lack of opportunities and less business partners. To be able to operate internationally the small firms need support. Cluster organizations, being created as teams of Cluster SMEs managers, understand the needs of each cluster member and serve as an activating agent for international initiatives. Although many Clusters have been studied in the business literature, this article attempts to gain deeper understanding of the Clusters as main driving force for SMEs internationalization. The Cluster Organizations are facilitating the access to market information. They are helping the SMEs in networking and for obtaining new international contacts and business partners. They introduce SMEs’ managers to the desired contacts. Thus the firms can gain new insights and inspiration, which are considered of being driving forces for innovation. The Cluster Organizations provide channels for easier access to new markets and the Cluster SMEs, have better opportunity for knowledge sharing and expanded networking.</p>}, number={1}, journal={KNOWLEDGE - International Journal }, author={L. Andreeva, Petya}, year={2017}, month={Dec.}, pages={161–164} }