Modern Social Science Research

Industrial chain clusters are carriers of deep integration between industrial organization and geographical agglomeration, and have become a key area of research in industrial economics in recent years. This article systematically reviews relevant literature on industrial chain clusters from four dimensions: theoretical origins, formation mechanisms, organizational structure, and competitive advantages. Starting from Marshall's external economy and Porter’s cluster theory, this paper integrates the analytical framework of transaction costs, new economic geography, and global value chains, summarizes the formation mechanisms of factor sharing, vertical connections, knowledge spillovers, and modular production, analyzes the internal structure of vertical integration and network governance coexisting, and evaluates the research on competitive advantages in three dimensions: cost efficiency, innovation drive, and resilience adaptation. Finally, it points out the directions that need to be expanded, such as micro dynamic evolution, digital impact, and refined resilience governance.

Industrial chain cluster; Industrial cluster; Agglomeration economy; Competitive advantage