Building High Tech Clusters

Richards; 7.

Infinite Suburbia is the culmination of the MIT Norman B. Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism's yearlong study of the future of suburban development. Extensive research, an exhibition, and a conference at MIT's Media Lab, this groundbreaking collection presents fifty-two essays by seventy-four authors from twenty different fields, including, but not limited to, design, architecture, landscape, planning, history, demographics, social justice, familial trends, policy, energy, mobility, health, environment, economics, and applied and future technologies. This exhaustive compilation is richly illustrated with a wealth of photography, aerial drone shots, drawings, plans, diagrams, charts, maps, and archival materials, making it the definitive statement on suburbia at the beginning of the twenty-first century.

This book rigorously explores the critical, initial stage of cluster emergence in which the seeds for further growth are sown. Whether economic growth actually occurs, however, ultimately depends on various regional conditions and the processes in place. The contributors offer a broad spectrum of conceptual perspectives and empirical case studies on the regional factors and policies required for economic growth. They discuss the link between new clusters and established regional paths, the generation of institutions and endogenous dynamics, and the patterns of emergence and growth of successful clusters. A number of important questions are addressed, including: How do opportunities and crises influence cluster emergence? Is cluster emergence purely random or can it be planned? How can emerging clusters be identified and their growth patterns measured? How can regional policies support cluster emergence? Filling a gap in the literature on the actual genesis of clusters, this path-breaking book will prove a fascinating read for academics focusing on economics, geography, entrepreneurship, technological change and innovation, and regional studies.

The process of development in recent times has been characteristically marked by the expanding reach of multinational enterprises, flows of foreign direct investment, unprecedented growth of information and communication technologies (ICT) and knowledge-based industries, and infusion of ICT across the entire spectrum of industries and activities. High-tech knowledge-based industries like information technology, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and so on have played an important role in the transition of Chinese and Indian economies—the two largest and fastest growing economies. This inter-disciplinary book offers an in-depth understanding of the behaviour of firms in these industries, analysing the strategies they adopt in a globally competitive environment, the role they have played in ushering in the growth revolution in China and India, and the contribution they have made to the nature and growth of employment. This study also dwells upon the emerging nature of scientific and technological developments like nanotechnology, novel materials, spintronics and quantum computers, with the conclusion that in the future, knowledge and technology are going to be the real sources of wealth for nations.

About the book The contents of most of the chapters included in this volume were originally presented and discussed during the academic workshop ‘High-tech Valleys and Research Triangles in the East of the Netherlands and elsewhere’, held on 30 November and 1 December 2005 at the Wageningen International Congress Centre (WICC) in the Netherlands. At that time we had an informal agreement with Rob Bogers, series editor of the Wageningen UR Frontis book series that, if the quality and quantity of the talks and papers at the seminar would be sufficient and if there was willingness among the (potential) authors, an edited book volume based upon the results of the workshop would be a possibility. After the workshop, when we had a critical mass of ten chapters and a dedicated group of committed authors, the book project was given the green light. As editors we realized that there were still a couple of topics and themes missing, and when we had found colleagues for these four additional chapters that needed to be written, our Frontis book was on the roll! Although most of the time it was great fun, the whole process of writing, reviewing, rewriting, editing and proofreading took a lot of time; much more time than we originally had foreseen. We would like to thank all authors of the fourteen chapters of this book for their excellent contributions.

How logistics clusters can create jobs while providing companies with competitive advantage. Why is Memphis home to hundreds of motor carrier terminals and distribution centers? Why does the tiny island-nation of Singapore handle a fifth of the world's maritime containers and half the world's annual supply of crude oil? Which jobs can replace lost manufacturing jobs in advanced economies? Some of the answers to these questions are rooted in the phenomenon of logistics clusters—geographically concentrated sets of logistics-related business activities. In this book, supply chain management expert Yossi Sheffi explains why Memphis, Singapore, Chicago, Rotterdam, Los Angeles, and scores of other locations have been successful in developing such clusters while others have not. Sheffi outlines the characteristic “positive feedback loop” of logistics clusters development and what differentiates them from other industrial clusters; how logistics clusters “add value” by generating other industrial activities; why firms should locate their distribution and value-added activities in logistics clusters; and the proper role of government support, in the form of investment, regulation, and trade policy. Sheffi also argues for the most important advantage offered by logistics clusters in today's recession-plagued economy: jobs, many of them open to low-skilled workers, that are concentrated locally and not “offshorable.” These logistics clusters offer what is rare in today's economy: authentic success stories. For this reason, numerous regional and central governments as well as scores of real estate developers are investing in the development of such clusters. View a trailer for the book at: http://techtv.mit.edu/videos/22284-logistics-clusters-yossi-sheffi

The American Silicon Valley has achieved internationalrecognition as a successful high-technology sector, acting as a model for othergovernments that wish to create similarly successful high technologyindustries. In particular, the American Silicon Valley has influenced thehigh-technology industry of Canada, with Ottawa now referred to as SiliconValley North or Canadian Silicon Valley. This book seeks to illuminate thevarious aspects of Silicon Valley North. Initially, the author provides alengthy discussion of the American Silicon Valley, specifically discussingfourteen of the "hidden" mechanisms that led to its success, includingthe value of excellence and the establishment of a democratic, humanisticatmosphere. A discussion of the Canadian Silicon Valley is thenpresented. The purpose of this book is to present expert informationabout Silicon Valley North, including the development of technology, the roleof venture capital, the influence of universities, and the activities ofentrepreneurs. The book also seeks to provide the reader with significantfindings and research to shape their own ideas for creating a similarregion. The book is divided into three parts: Part I provides general,historical information; Part II addresses aspects of Ottawa's high technologysector; and Part III combines all the information. (AKP) Table of Contents Introduction Silicon Phenomenon: Introduction to Some Important Issues, L.V.Shavinina Silicon Valley North: The Formation of the Ottawa Innovation Cluster,J.G. Mallett Yesterday's Adventures with Today's Technology: CarletonUniversity's Wired City Simulation Laboratry, D.C.Coll Silicon Valley North: Its Recent Past, Current State, and Future Firm Demographics in Silicon Valley North, F. Brouard et al. A Tale of One City: The Ottawa Technology Cluster, J.J. Madill, G. H.Haines, Jr., and A.L. Riding The National Capital Region's Product Leadership Cluster, A.J.Bailetti How Technology-Intensive Clusters are Organized in the Ottawa Region, A.O'Sullivan The Role of Venture Capital in Building Technology Companies inthe Ottawa Region, J. Callahan and K. Charbonneau The Role of Universities in Developing Canadian Silicon Valley, R.Armit The River Runs Through It: The Case for Collaborative Governance in theNational Capital Region, G. Paquet, J. Roy, and C. Wilson Technological Development in Gatineau, the Quebec Sector of Silicon ValleyNorth, F. Materazzi Developing Knowledge Workers in Silicon Valley North: Its Not Just AboutTraining, L. Dyke, L. Duxbury, and N. Lam Can Technology Clusters Deliver Sustainable Livelihoods? Constructing a Rolefor Community Economic Development, E.T. Jackson and R. Khan An Innovative Model for Skill Development in Silicon Valley North:O-Vitesse, A. Chhatbar Ottawa's TalentWorks - Regional Learning & Collaborative Governance fora Knowledge Age, G. Paquet and J. Roy, and C. Wilson Conclusion. Luster of Clusters: A Cautionary Tale, W. Thorngate.