* Industry Clusters - What Are They? * Analysis Tools Emerging Cluster Analysis Labor Force Availability and Demographics

    Industry cluster analysis is used in analyzing a local or regional economy. It consists of identifying groups of businesses that are "geographically concentrated" (i.e., physically located close together, as in a region or group of counties) produce similar products or provide a similar service, and use the same knowledge base, suppliers, and other support industries. Regions currently available for analysis are: regional marketing consortiums, Workforce Development regions, MSAs (metropolitan statistical areas), and Iowa counties.

    Iowa Workforce Development has been producing regional industry cluster analysis since 2001. Regional analysis consists of several analysis tools: location quotient and shift/share statistical tools; cluster growth and wage comparisons which are used in emerging cluster analysis; labor force availability; and demographic information.