Title: What are the mechanisms driving the success of the US Silicon Valley?

Authors: Jarunee Wonglimpiyarat

Addresses: Ministry of Science and Technology, Thailand, Boston University, 704 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston MA 02215, USA

Abstract: This paper explores the mechanisms driving the success of the US Silicon Valley. The study analyses the development of Silicon Valley, the government programmes in financing innovations and the specific characteristics/factors contributing to the success of the valley. It is argued that the capacity to foster clusters of innovation, an effective use of university resources, the supporting infrastructure, the culture of willingness to accept risk, and venture capital (VC) programmes are catalysts for the economic development at Silicon Valley. By using Porter|s competitive Diamond Model as a basis to examine the activities in the US Silicon Valley, the study attempts to fill a gap in practical VC management research, which is practically nonexistent, and provide valuable insights for policy makers.

Keywords: Silicon Valley; hi-tech industries; venture capital finance; industrial clusters; entrepreneurship; success factors; innovation clusters; government support; university resources; infrastructure; risk acceptance; policy makers.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTPM.2005.007521

International Journal of Technology, Policy and Management, 2005 Vol.5 No.2, pp.200 - 213

Published online: 31 Jul 2005 *

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