Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Clustering has emerged as one of the drivers for economic growth and improved competitiveness for specific industries. In order for cluster initiatives to be successful, they need to be managed in a certain way. The importance of excellent cluster management has been increasingly realised in the past years. Certain factors of cluster management are considered to lead to success in the management of cluster initiatives as identified in published research. In the same vain, certain aspects of cluster program management are considered to lead to success. A cluster program run by the Western Cape Provincial Government (WCPG) in South Africa is analysed and compared to the generic success factors in cluster program management. Selected cluster initiatives in the Western Cape are analysed and compared with each other as well as to these success factors in cluster management. The Western Cape Tooling Initiative (WCTI), a cluster initiative in the tool, die and mould making industry, is analysed in more detail, and compared to the other cluster initiatives, all of which but one are part of the cluster program. WCTI is found to not have been following success factors in cluster management, and the rate of progress of the WCTI from when it was started supports that fact. However, recent changes in the leadership of the cluster initiative have brought about changes in WCTI’s cluster management emphasis and signs of increased success can be noticed, even though the full effect will not be felt until after some years as success in cluster management takes years to be realised. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Trosvervaardiging het in die onlangse verlede ontwikkel tot een van die drywers vir ekonomiese groei en verhoogde kompeterendheid in spefifieke industrië. Tros inisiatiewe vereis ‘n spesifieke bestuursraamwerk om hulle potensiaal te bereik, en die belangrikheid van uitstekende bestuurspraktyke word al hoe meer beklemtoon. Sekere faktore, beskryf in literatuur, van bestuur bleik te lei na sukses in die bestuur van sulke inisiatiewe. Op ‘n soortgelyke basis is daar aspekte van trosprogram bestuur wat voorvereistes vir sukses is. ‘n Trosprogram onder leiding van die Wes Kaapse Provinsiale Regering in Suid Afrika word analiseer en vergelyk met die generiese sukses faktore van trosprogrambestuur. Verskeie trosinisiatiewe in die Wes Kaap word ondersoek en met mekaar vergelyk asook gemeet aan hierdie suksesfaktore. Meer spesifiek word die “Western Cape Tooling Initiative” (WCTI) in meer detail analiseer, en vergelyk met die ander inisiatiewe wat almal, met een uitsondering, deel is van die trosprogram self. Daar is gevind dat die WCTI nie streng volgens die riglyne en/of binne die raamwerk van suksesvolle trosbestuur opgetree het nie, en dit word gestaaf deur die relatief lae sukseskoers tot dusver. Met die onlangse veranderinge aan die leierskap van die inisiatief bleik dit egter dat meer aandag aan hierdie praktyke gegee word, en daar is tekens van ‘n verbetering in die prestasie van die program. Die volle effek van hierdie veranderinge sal egter ‘n rukkie neem om volledig tot uitwerking te kom.