This study discusses internal communication within industrial clusters. The basic
research question is whether there is a correspondence between the success of a cluster
and the communication practices of its management. Our aim was to explore these practices
both between the management organization of a cluster and the clustered firms and
also among the cluster members themselves.
After a thorough literature review of cluster communication, qualitative approach
was applied using case studies and 28 interviews in three distinctive clusters in
Southwest Hungary. Two of the three clusters consider themselves successful, whilst
one cluster sees itself less effective. In the two successful ones, cluster managements
are able to manage communication effectively and ensure that communication supports
their goals and the implementation of their strategies. In these cases, communication
management organization planned and established all dimensions of the communication
consciously: channels, content, frequency, way and style of communication, all of
which have an impact on trust. The research is linked to corporate communication theories,
social identity theory, psychology and management. The paper fills a gap in the research
of internal cluster communication. The findings also have useful implications regarding
the practice of cluster management and communication.
