This article seeks to explain why industry clusters are receiving so much attention. It discusses how and why clusters form, what makes them successful, and why they are believed to contribute to regional economic growth. The article also examines what the evidence on industry clusters suggests...

The June 6 conference "Manufacturing Matters" was sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Buffalo Branch in conjunction with the Western New York Technology Development Center and the Buffalo Niagara Partnership's Manufacturers Council.

We consider why broad-based economies have some advantages over their more specialized counterparts. We show that diversity can be a spur to productivity and innovation, and that firms in a region with many types of businesses will enjoy easy access to the resources and services needed for...

When economic activity slows down, labor markets may undergo extensive structural change-the permanent reallocation of workers across industries. Job losses can be heavy, and creating new jobs and retraining displaced workers to fill them can take time. A high degree of restructuring may help to...

We analyze the restructuring of the manufacturing workforce over the past two decades by investigating how the occupational distribution of workers has changed. We identify important regional differences in the nature and degree of this restructuring, and give particular attention to New York...

We describe the medical manufacturing industry generally and examine the industry's presence in upstate New York and its metropolitan areas. We show that upstate has a considerable employment concentration in the manufacture of both medical devices and pharmaceuticals. This activity is...

Remarks at the University at Albany, Albany, New York.

Remarks at the Center for Economic Development, Syracuse, New York.

Remarks at the Long Island Association, Melville, New York.

Remarks at the Buffalo-Niagara Partnership, Buffalo, New York .