Technology and economic development : the dynamics of local, regional,
and national competitiveness
Edward J. Malecki
2nd. ed., Essex, England : Longman, 1997. [HC79.T4 M346 1997]
Library of Congress catalog
Preface page xi
Acknowledgements xiii
List of abbreviations xv
Chapter 1 Economic growth and development at the local,
regional and national levels 1
Cores and peripheries 3
Technology, regions and economic development 5
Growth or development? 11
The traditional competitiveness of a regional economy: the economic
base 15
Which economic base is best? 21
The service sector: engine of growth? 26
The competitiveness of places: technological capability 33
Chapter 2 Technological capability- the core of economic
development 36
Production functions and equilibrium: the neoclassical model and
alternatives 37
Regional growth in equilibrium and disequilibrium 46
The process of technological change 50
The linear model 51
The product cycle and economic development 63
The context for technological change 71
Conclusion 71
Chapter 3 Innovation in the firm: technology in the corporate
context 73
The growth innovation 73
Technology: a long wave view 75
High-tecnology industries: problems of definition and significance 81
R&D as an economic activity 90
Management of technology 91
Conclusion 110
Chapter 4 The location of economic activities: flexibility and
agglomeration 112
Industrial location and the role of labour 112
The spatial division of labour in large firms 115
The location of non-production activities 123
Post-Weberian location theory 128
Flexibility 129
Agglomeration revisited 150
Conclusion 155
Chapter 5 Entrepreneurs, small firms and economic development 157
The concept of entrepreneurship 157
Regional variation in entrepreneurship 162
The importance of networks 170
Venture capital networks in the entrepreneurial environment 174
Policies for entrepreneurial environments 179
Entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial environments in developing
countries 186
Conclusion 190
Chapter 6 Corporations and networks of large firms 191
Globalization of economic activity 191
Corporate structure and strategy in global firms 201
Patterns of transnational investment 213
World cities 216
Production chains and global production 218
Linkages: subcontracting, partnerships and alliances 228
Conclusion 232
Chapter 7 Creating competitiveness in nations, regions and
localities 234
National systems of innovation 235
Government policy and technology 237
Industrial innovation and technology policy 245
Policies for regional and local competitiveness 253
Policies for regional high-tech development 263
Directing technology: encouraging the development of learning regions
271
Conclusion 272
Chapter 8 The technological and competitive challenge for
developing countries 273
The necessity for science and technology 274
An East Asian 'miracle'? Industrial and technology policy in the
development process 277
The challenge of technology upgrading 281
The transition from central planning 294
Learning and the costs of not learning
Technology transfer: no easy route to competitive
The role of institutions
Conclusions and suggestions for policy
Chapter 9 Development in a competitive world: challe.
twenty-first century
Technology and the future
Human capital and economic development
Skills and capabilities: education and training
Infrastructure for development
Time clocks and the pace of change 321
Conclusion 322
References 323
Index 451