Entrepreneurs, clusters & communities of practice: The Priorat case study

In only twenty years, the Priorat region has experimented one of the most outstanding transformations. It has turned from a poor land into a top quality wine production district, becoming the second Spanish region to be awarded Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa) status. Previous studies about the Priorat have pointed out geographical, environmental or marketing reasons to explain such a success. However, our empirical data show evidence of other motives. Based on an empirical study, this paper seeks to reveal Priorat evolution and the key success factors that turned the initial efforts of a group of five into the emergency of a small cluster of companies and institutions which evolved in such a way that nowadays are one of the most important and dynamic winery regions in the world. Preliminary findings show evidence that although there are many different causes which collide, the Priorat cluster has the characteristics of a community of practice where knowledge was created and shared. Different types of learning and enablers have been identified contributing to the creation of a common identity and at the same time facilitating the knowledge sharing process.