Title: Inducing high tech: Principles of designing support systems for the formation and attraction of advanced technology firms

Authors: Edward J. Blakely, Brian H. Roberts, Philip Manidis

Addresses: Professor and Chair of City and Regional Planning, University of California, Berkeley, USA. ' Consultants with Cameron McNamara, Brisbane, Australia. ' Consultants with Cameron McNamara, Brisbane, Australia

Abstract: Almost all Western nations are involved in some form of regional technology development. These strategies are very similar in execution and orientation. The literature on attracting and retaining high-technology firms fails to provide any clear guidance on the factors that in fact affect the locational behaviour of this type of firm. This article is based on the premise that high-technology firms are not attracted by the usual incentives used with industrial firms, but are induced by ||soft infrastructure|| factors such as government support for research, local amenities, and networks of communications. The paper shows how a community can analyse its strengths and weaknesses with respect to developing the right infrastructure to induce economic development.

Keywords: local economic development; technology infrastructure; technology development assessment; advanced technology; technology support systems; regional development; technology management; high tech firms; high technology.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.1987.026133

International Journal of Technology Management, 1987 Vol.2 No.3/4, pp.337 - 356

Published online: 27 May 2009 *

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