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The Balkan Cluster – Key Puzzle for Creativity of Cluster Managers in the Balkans 2015 http://ezaposleni.singidunum.ac.rs/rest/sciNaucniRezultati/oai/record/1/8297 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/374392120_The_Balkan_Cluster_-_Key_Puzzle_for_Creativity_of_Cluster_Managers_in_the_Balkans D. Milojković The Balkan Peninsula is a bridge between Europe and Asia with the following biggest cities in the region: Athens, Istanbul, Sofia and Belgrade. The region is recognized for its agriculture such land cultivation, fruit production, farming and fishery; forestry, mining and industry sectors. Ethnic and cultural variety, various political influences and turbulent history resulted in that the majority of the Balkan countries are in the state of transition reconstruction. The cluster based economic development has been recognized in the Balkans as a tool for achievement of the greater entrepreneurial initiative, innovativeness, competitiveness and employment. The cluster managers play an extremely important role in the cluster development and they act as agents of change; emphasize the need for change and promote innovative cooperation among cluster partners; accumulate knowledge on clusters and global changes clusters are encountering; use data and facts gathered from the cluster members as inputs in their strategic approach; build bridges to connect clusters at the regional, national and international level through continual promotion of new cooperation and innovative alliances among cluster members. The Balkan Cluster represents a proactive collaboration platform for cluster managers/clusters and support institutions in the Balkans in order to develop transnational projects, to approach development funds and to appear on new markets. It fosters collaboration through networks, matchmaking events, advisory services and trainings. It helps spur innovation by facilitating engagement between companies and research institutions. It contributes to promotion and internationalization of the Balkan clusters and SMEs and connection with European and global SME and cluster development institutions and organizations. The Balkan Cluster platform is applying the following operational strategy: field work and interactive daily communication with beneficiaries; transparent and timely information; demand driven cluster projects preparation and implementation; and cluster lessons learned and cluster good practice examples promotion. „When you only have a hammer, all problems look like nails” /old saying/. The Balkan Cluster creators learn from the past, live in the present and look forward to the future, they know that "everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself” /Leo Tolstoy/ and they are guided by Aristotle’s saying „excellence is not an act....but a habit”. conferenceObject 91 91 Workbook 2.5. DEVELOPING SKILLS FOR PROFESSIONAL CLUSTER MANAGEMENT