Klastry v transformaci regionů - pět let poté

Five years ago the first theoretical works on industry clusters in regional development appeared in the Czech academic papers and conference proceedings. The research in this field, which was initiated at the Faculty of Economics at VSB-Technical University of Ostrava, was followed by other university research centres. The programme Klastry (clusters) announced by CzechInvest, the governmental agency for enterprise and FDI support in the Czech Republic, and financed by EU Structural funds in the period 2004-2006 opened a huge national-wide clustering movement. Several tens of cluster initiatives have been established in all regions by now and the idea of industry clusters has developed into the phase of implementation. This paper reviews and summarizes developments of cluster policies in the Czech Republic at both national and regional levels and presents achievements and a role of clusters in the transformation of traditional industrial region of Moravia and Silesia.