Taking Root in the Silicon Forest: High-technology Firms as Surrogate Universities in Portland, Oregon

Mayer, Heike (2005). Taking Root in the Silicon Forest: High-technology Firms as Surrogate Universities in Portland, Oregon. Journal of the American Planning Association, 71(3), pp. 318-333. Taylor & Francis 10.1080/01944360508976701

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Most case studies of successful high-technology industry regions highlight the role of research universities in fostering regional economic development. The Portland, Oregon, region managed to root a thriving high-tech industry in the absence of this critical factor. In this article, I present a case study of the evolution of Portland's high-tech industry and propose that high-tech firms can act as surrogate universities that attract and develop labor, create knowledge, and function as incubators for startups. I conclude that planners working to develop high-tech industries in regions without major research universities should attract R&D-intensive firms, maintain information on key busineses and entrepreneurial ventures, support an innovation milieu, and set realistic goals.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

08 Faculty of Science > Institute of Geography > Human Geography > Unit Economic Geography
08 Faculty of Science > Institute of Geography

UniBE Contributor:

Mayer, Heike

Subjects:

700 Arts > 710 Landscaping & area planning
300 Social sciences, sociology & anthropology
300 Social sciences, sociology & anthropology > 330 Economics

ISSN:

0194-4363

Publisher:

Taylor & Francis

Language:

English

Submitter:

Claudia Baumann

Date Deposited:

24 Aug 2015 11:52

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 14:48

Publisher DOI:

10.1080/01944360508976701

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/71127

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