Presentation supporting the talk I gave to my fellow students of 'Economics & Governance of Innovation Institutions' on 21/01/2012

1. What’s the Role of Universities
in High-Tech Economic
Development?
The Case of Portland, Oregon and Washington, DC
By Heike Mayer, 2006
Discussed by Monika Gierszewska

2. Regional innovation systems
Universities
Industry Government

3. Triple helix of U-I-G relations
Etzkowitz & Leydesdorff (1995)
Universities
Provide region with Research, knowledge
skilled workforce creation
Support Reduced gov
entrepreneurs Stanford funding
MIT
Industry Government

4. Triple helix of U-I-G relations
Etzkowitz & Leydesdorff (1995)
Universities
New Jersey
South Korea
Industry Government

5. Triple helix of U-I-G relations
Etzkowitz & Leydesdorff (1995)
Universities
Seattle
Colorado Springs
Industry Government

6. What’s needed for success
 Anchor tenant
 Innovative environment
 Tiers of engagement

7. Case of Portland, Oregan
 Universities located outside
 Not contributing locally
 No applied research
 BUT
 There is

8.  Started by local entrepreneurs in post-
war period
 Manufacture & test measurement
instruments
 Supportive work environment, education
◦ Create skills labour
 1970 build R&D lab: ‘Tek Labs’
◦ No success, closed 1995
 Problems in the 1980s
◦ 50% of the staff made redundant

9.  1976 – Intel moves in
 From manufacturing to R&D
operations
 41% of state patents in 1979-99
 27% patents growth in Portland,
compared to 17% in California
 labour sourced externally 70-80%
◦ Subcontractors & suppliers

10. Anchor tenant in Portland
Universities
Industry Government

11. Case of Washington, DC
 Major universities, not contributing
 Other universities establishing R&D
labs due to close proximity to fed gov
agencies, e.g. National Institute of
Health
 How did the high-tech evolve?

12. New Policies
 Technology Innovation Act
 Small Business Patents Act
◦ Incentive for scientist to start their own
 Small Business Innovation &
Research Programme
◦ Financing resources for startups

13. Federal downsizing &
outsourcing
 Development of startups
◦ Contractual or finding ties with gov
 Response creation of incubation
facilities
◦ Targeted educational programmes
 45 biotech companies started by ex-
employees of NIH
 WC, DC captured 51.9% of nation’s
total procurement in homeland
security

14. Anchor tenant in Washington
Universities
Industry Government

15. Etzkowitz (2001)
– defines Triple Helix
1) Internal transformation of each
individual element of triple helix
2) Nature of relationships, dependency
3) Doesn’t explain engagement of
higher education

16. Boucher et al. (2003)
– explains Tiers of Engagement
1) Single player, close links to regional
development
2) Multi – player universities, less clear
cut
3) Traditional universities in core
regions, engaged on the national
scale rather than local
4) Newer tech-orientated universities,
evolved in a core region

17. Understanding the Future
 The role of higher education
◦ For creation & maintenance of high-tech
labour
◦ Knowledge creation
◦ Technology transfer
◦ Entrepreneurship
 Also:
◦ Engage in regional culture & sports
◦ Outreach & community services
◦ Increase region’s brand / image
◦ Educational opportunities

18. Summary
 Universities not needed for creation of
regional innovation systems
 BUT
 Necessary for its future expansion

19. THANK YOU!
QUESTIONS?