In advanced nations such as the United States, many of the most important influences on competitiveness are found at the regional level. Regional economies are specialized, with each region exhibiting competitiveness in a different mix of industry clusters. Clusters are a geographically proximate group of interconnected companies and associated institutions in a particular field, including product producers, service providers, suppliers, universities, and trade associations.

Measuring the performance and competitive strength of regional economies has been difficult because clusters have not been systematically identified and mapped across all U.S. regions. To address this challenge, Professor Porter and his team have launched the Cluster Mapping Project to define clusters statistically and create objective, detailed profile of regional economies across the United States. Economies are analyzed at various geographic levels, including states, economic areas, and metropolitan areas. The data presented on this site particularly focus on the Greater New Jersey Region and its component sub-regions. 

The data presented for these regions is divided into three broad categories: overall regional economic performance, composition of the regional economy, and cluster competitiveness.  The data can be used to identify the most important clusters in the region's economy, compare the region's cluster position versus other regions, understand the drivers of the region's relative wages, employment growth, and formation of new establishments, and assess the region's patenting performance.

For further reading on these concepts please refer to chapter 7, Clusters and Competition: New Agendas for Companies, Governments, and Institutions, in Prof. Porter's On Competition.

For in-depth examples of the application of data and concepts from this project, please see the regional reports of the Cluster of Innovation Initiative.