Formation of an Agricultural Cluster Based on the Ranking of Enterprises

The article deals with the formation of the cluster core and its environment with the clarification of the organizational structure. Much attention is paid to the necessity and sufficiency of including organizations in the cluster at the time of its formation and initial stage of operation. The authors suggest to use a ranking method based on the significance of the cluster's areas of work as well as the organizations that belong to each of them. At the same time, the cluster's work areas are related to the its missions in the destination: industrial; innovative; satisfying the requirements inside the cluster; satisfying the requirements outside the cluster; social; territory development; cluster development. Within each of the directions the minimum number of organizations sufficient for the effective operation of the cluster was determined. Then the cluster organizations were ranked according to the allocated missions. Based on the ranking organizations of primary importance at the initial stage of the cluster are identified: organizations that provide financial services, supply machinery, equipment, production lines and knowledge as well as bulk buyers. The cluster has a "zone of necessary organizations" for starting the cluster as well as a "zone of efficiency increasing" that can be expanded and replenished as necessary.