KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND CLUSTER AFFILIATION IN CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

This paper represents a theoretical overview on the concept of knowledge management as well as the presentation of a set of research results regarding the opening of a cluster for creative industries in the county of Cluj and the North West region of Romania. The content of this paper offers a theoretical and conceptual glimpse into knowledge management by presenting a few defining concepts about this type of management. The study explores the effects of special resources and relationships among cluster firms on innovation performance, and focuses on knowledge management as the mediator for investigation. A survey protocol was developed with a focus on the SME's intention of working in the creative industry sector, joining a regional cluster of creative industries and establishing relationships among this clusters on the topic of corporate knowledge management. Knowledge management emerges as an engine for SME's for creative industries who want to join in a cluster in terms of corporate innovation performance, thus providing support for the research hypotheses. The findings of this study are valuable for further research and offers SME's new perspectives for sustainable development.