Thursday, November 18, 2004
Arizona and Connecticut are closely examining the development of technology-based businesses around the University of Cambridge in the U.K. Read more.
Silicon Fen (as some journalists call the region) or the Cambridge Phenomenon (as an early report labeled the region) has grown with quite a different dynamic from Silicon Valley. While Silicon Valley has its roots in the 1930's, the Cambridge Phenomenon did not begin to appear until the 1960's. Unlike early firms in California, the early firms around Cambridge did not have driving commercial ambitions.
The point is that each region is different. Innovation is a process of recombination. The process relies deeply on local factors that cannot be replicated. At the same time, at the level of the system, innovation thrives in economies that embrace open networks, close ties to post secondary institutions (both research universities and other colleges), and selective anchor investments (public goods that cannot be easily produced by markets alone).
posted by Ed Morrison |
links
Some Background on EDPro Weblog
The purpose of this weblog is to help economic development professionals -- EDPros -- keep up with the changes sweeping our profession. Strap on your goggles. It's a whole new game. There are no experts any more. The only place to learn about economic development is from other EDPros who are doing it.
One other point: the prevaling approach (paradigm, if you like) in economic development is shifting from competition to collaboration. There are a lot of reaasons underlying this shift, but here's the important insight: You, your community, and your region will do better by collaborating and sharing information.
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Speaking and workshops on Open Source Economic Development
As the idea of Open Source Economic Development starts spreading, more people are asking about it. Visit the I-Open web site to learn more. My colleagues and I are happy to explain the basic concepts in a talk or a workshop. E-mail Susan Alshuler if you'd like to learn more about workshops and speaking.
Background on Ed Morrison
Download some background information on me here.
Studying the Cambridge Phenomenon
