To support cluster development in the communities in which they operate, companies need to identify gaps and deficiencies in
areas such as logistics, suppliers, distribution channels, training, market organization, and educational institutions. Then the
task is to focus on the weaknesses that represent the greatest constraints to the company’s own productivity and growth, and
distinguish those areas that the company is best equipped to influence directly from those in which collaboration is more costeffective.
Here is where the shared value opportunities will be greatest. Initiatives that address cluster weaknesses that
constrain companies will be much more effective than community-focused corporate social responsibility programs, which often
have limited impact because they take on too many areas without focusing on value.