The relationship of innovation and knowledge is a strategic condition for the creation of an effective cluster

The article is devoted to the problem of creating an effective cluster. The author considers knowledge as a strategic factor of scientific and technical progress. The actual availability of knowledge determines the possibility of its use in actual production. It is argued that any firm which is engaged in the innovation development, must have a specific "knowledge base", which is necessary not only for the development of innovation, but also to assess potential markets. The ability to perceive the knowledge is stressed to be not only the skill and ability to learn but also the ability to absorb and use this knowledge in practice. It is argued that the creation of new knowledge and its free flow within the cluster is one of the important factors that are necessary for the transition to an innovation cluster development model.