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Literature on the internationalisation of small- and medium-sized firms identifies location in a geographic cluster of networked firms as a source of competitive advantage. In particular, local networks are cited as a source of market information and referrals that can help firms enter international markets. Co-location and the local interactions that it fosters create externalities that benefit entrepreneurial firms. This paper identifies four types of externalities: supply side, demand side, active, and passive. Supply and demand side refers to inputs to the firm and markets for outputs, respectively. Passive externalities occur simply because firms are co-located, while active externalities only occur because firms are co-located and work together in networks. Representatives of firms in the Christchurch, New Zealand electronics cluster were interviewed about the extent to which they perceive benefits from externalities. A statistical cluster analysis reveals two patterns of responses. Both groups of responses report benefiting from passive externalities. However, about 40% of the firms also benefit from active externalities. These firms are typically smaller and less export intense. The notion of active externalities has implications for the management of firms located in clusters. To benefit from active externalities, managers must develop capabilities that maximise network opportunities. There is also an implication for economic development policy: Resources should be targeted at encouraging active externalities rather than passive, as passive externalities occur without public intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The second New Caledonian Salon international du livre océanien (SILO) took place in October 2005. The establishment of this biennial book fair/writers' festival can be understood in the context of the Noumea Accord (1998). In addition to providing for the devolution of powers from Paris to Noumea, this Accord has called for a greater promotion of Kanak culture and a better distribution of resources within New Caledonia – a rééquilibrage – as well as increased integration of the island within its regional context. To this end, writers, publishers and translators from a number of Pacific Islands, Australia, New Zealand and metropolitan France were invited to Poindimié on the north-east coast of New Caledonia, a largely Kanak region, for four days of round-table discussions, workshops and other presentations. These proceedings revealed some of the persistent divergences between the European and Pacific Islander vision (for instance, regarding the question of the ‘exotic’), as between Polynesian and Melanesian, anglophone and francophone approaches to the themes of nature, youth, tradition, creativity and identity. Other topics discussed were the value and difficulties of publication and the situation of France in the Pacific. The literary prizes announced by the Salon under the patronage of Déwe Gorodé, New Caledonia's leading (Kanak) writer and its ‘Minister’ of Culture, resonated with aspects of the cultural politics of the event, the process of reconciliation and the project of nation building currently under way in New Caledonia. Le deuxième Salon international du livre océanien de Nouvelle-Calédonie s'est tenu en octobre 2005. La création de cet événement bisannuel, à la fois salon du livre et festival des ecrivains, peut se comprendre dans le cadre de l'Accord de Nouméa (1998). En plus de prévoir le transfert des compétences de Paris vers Nouméa, cet Accord appelle de ses vœux une plus grande promotion de la culture kanak et une meilleure distribution des ressources en Nouvelle-Calédonie – un rééquilibrage – aussi bien qu'une intégration accrue de l'île dans son contexte régional. Dans ce but, des écrivains, éditeurs et traducteurs de plusieurs îles du Pacifique, de même que d'Australie, de Nouvelle-Zélande et de France métropolitaine, ont été invités à Poindimié, commune qui se trouve sur la côte nord-est de la Nouvelle-Calédonie dans une région largement kanak, pour quatre journées de tables rondes, d'ateliers et d'autres présentations. Ces animations ont révélé quelques divergences qui persistent entre vision européenne et vision océanienne (notamment concernant la question de ‘l'exotique’), ainsi qu'entre les approches polynésienne et mélanésienne, anglophone et francophone à l'égard des thèmes de la nature, la jeunesee, la tradition, la créativité, l'identité. Autres thèmes abordés étaient la valeur et les difficultés de la publication et la situation de la France dans le Pacifique. Les prix littéraires décernés par le Salon, sous le patronage de Déwé Gorodé, écrivaine (kanak) et ‘ministre’ de la culture de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, résonnaient avec des aspects de la politique culturelle du Salon, ainsi qu'avec le processus de la réconciliation et le projet de construction du pays actuellement en cours en Nouvelle-Calédonie. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]