Transforming an Industrial District into a High-Tech Cluster: Assessing the Cosmetics Valley’s Readiness and Benefits

The development of high-tech clusters has been enhanced by the European authorities. In France a high-tech cluster policy was implemented in 2004 to establish competitiveness poles in the entire territory. Of the 71 clusters established, a few were built from existing industrial districts. That is the case of the Cosmetics Valley industrial district that was transformed into a high-tech cluster in 2005. The cluster readiness factors, known as the enabling conditions, and the supporting conditions are assessed, based on a methodology stemming from a worldwide cluster benchmark. The results obtained from a qualitative survey highlight the strong points of the Cosmetics Valley cluster in terms of branding, technological innovation and supplier networks. The limits to this clustering policy are indicated and possible evolution suggested.