A Cure for Loneliness-Networks, Trust, and Shared Services in Bangalore

'Flexible specialisation' happens when clusters of smaller firms co-operate in production, marketing, and product development. This requires trust, and/or collective provision of 'real services'. Bangalore's smaller engineering and electronic firms work for larger firms, but some develop their own products. Engineers and workers are quality-conscious; innovation is market-led. Entrepreneurs are often too suspicious to co-operate or share information, but there are productive friendships and consortia. Firms benefit from 'real services'. What are the bases and limits of trust? Can 'real services' make up for lack of trust? This study is relevant to other countries with large labour surpluses.