CREATION AND EXPANSION OF A CLUSTER: THE CASE OF THE CERES CLUSTER, GO ABSTRACT

Abstract

This article discusses the factors that favored creation and expansion of the health organization cluster in the city of Ceres, Goiás. Despite the small population of some 19,000 inhabitants, Ceres is recognized as a center for health services. This article investigates the creation and expansion of the health cluster in Ceres from two perspectives. The  first considers the existence of so-called economic factors such as demand, infrastructure, presence of specialized skills, government policies, invitation to specialized professionals by businessmen and location on an important access route. The second takes into account sociological factors, highlighting social networks, professional and family ties, trust, values, rules and traditions as responsible for the multiplication of companies in the same sector in this location. Through an exploratory study based on interviews with 20 of the 65 physicians in the city, it is concluded that in the case of Ceres, great demand for health services, government actions to populate Brazil’s Mid-West and the activities of pioneers incentivating the entrepreneurial spirit of physicians were determining factors in the creation and expansion of this health cluster.