Maintaining the dynamics of competitiveness clusters

Everyone agrees that the launching of Competitiveness Clusters in 2006 was a success. It encouraged numerous initiatives and prompted developments the scale of which surprised even some of its original proponents. However, it has started to lose impetus, and some commentators consider it is necessary to consider the next step. Should the government outline its objectives more clearly or should it remain detached while giving more autonomy and responsibility to the centres ? Are these high-tech poles genuinely real clusters, once they have responded to invitations for projects, or merely intended to promote joint research ? Should their main purpose be as a form of regional development or to serve national industrial policy ? Can small and medium-sized businesses find their place in a system which until now has seemed to favour large companies ?