Trajectory and cluster resilience elements: The case of the Brazilian wine cluster of the Serra Gaúcha

Abstract

The recent economic, technological, and social shocks have led to a period of high economic uncertainty. The term “economic resilience” has been used to describe how regional clusters deal with and adapt to various shocks. This paper aims to analyze the elements that influence the resilience trajectory of a cluster. We conduct qualitative and exploratory research on the centennial Wine Cluster in Serra Gaúcha, Brazil, using data sources, interviews, and documents. To this end, we first identify seven elements that influence cluster resilience from the literature review. Subsequently, through an empirical case study, we verify whether these elements could represent the resilience of clusters. The results show that these seven elements are integrable and represent dimensions that explain the resilience of the cluster analyzed. Moreover, the findings highlight that resilience and resistance to crises are the historical results of improvements and the development of new routines for clustered companies. This study contributes to the cluster resilience literature and presents elements explaining how regions can adapt to and deal with shocks.