Competitiveness Review

This conceptual paper seeks an answer to the question, how significant cluster ambidexterity is for the resilience of individual clusters. We draw up an abductive synopsis of empirical information and relevant theoretical sources. A case study is used to illustrate some of the findings. The results of the analysis show that the ambidexterity of a cluster can contribute to its resilience when adverse external developments arise. Ambidexterity proves to be simultaneously a common strategy of key cluster actors and a mechanism for coping with critical situations and developments that can be activated by the cluster actors and may – eventually – lead to cluster resilience. While ambidexterity does not guarantee cluster survival, it can contribute significantly to their economic resilience under adverse conditions. The concept is developed on a limited empirical basis and would need to be tested and deepened by comparing a wide range of case studies from different clusters.