Science and Technology Based Regional Entrepreneurship

Book excerpt: Providing a global survey of public policies and programs for building national and regional ecosystems of science and technology based entrepreneurial development, this book provides a unique analysis of the advances, over the last several decades and in light of the experiential knowledge gained in various parts of the world, in the understanding of innovation systems in the pursuit of developing these economies. Presenting nineteen case studies of diverse developed and emerging economy nations and their regions, more than thirty expert authors describe an array of policy and program mechanisms that have been implemented over the years. The in-depth analyses of the worldwide efforts featured in this volume provide the reader with several valuable lessons. There are clear indications of a trend toward better cohesion and coordination of national efforts to improve innovation but also a trend toward the broadening of regional agendas to address technology, talent, capital, innovation infrastructure and entrepreneurship culture issues - considered essential for knowledge based entrepreneurial growth. The book also offers a unique treatment of grassroots level programmatic aspects of these efforts, including some novel entrepreneurial mechanisms employed for policy implementation. The book's blend of theory and practice provides valuable insights to the reader, particularly government, academic and private sector policymakers and scholars researching or involved directly with efforts to build and support the development of science and technology based entrepreneurial regions.