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Technopole refers to a center of high-tech manufacturing and information-based quaternary industry. The term was coined by Allen J. Scott in 1990 to describe regions in southern California which showed a rapid growth in high technology fields. 〔 Miller, J.C. (2007) ''The Geography of Technopoles: Computer and Electric Product Manufacturing By MSA, 2005". North Carolina: Greensboro. p. 16 〕 This term now has a broader scope to describe regions worldwide dedicated to technological innovation.〔 Quan-Haase, A. (2012). ''Technology and Society: Social Networks, Power, and Inequality.'' Don Mills, Ontario: Oxfor University Press. p.61 〕 Technopoles may be developed by the private sector or by the co-operation or partnership between the public and private sectors. Governments of all levels promote them as a panacea for economies hurt by economic restructuring. Large corporations and small business operate within these high technology areas. Networking between companies is important and made possible by technological advances. Technopoles are combined technological and business centers specifically established around recognized educational and research institutes. There are several definitions for "technopole" in an international context, whereby focus is usually placed on the existence of four factors: * First, a critical mass of R&D facilities which carry out research in one or more relevant areas and which have established the appropriate infrastructure. * Second, the immediate spatial vicinity to university institutions is essential in order to link research to instruction. * The third criterion is the presence of competent companies as source of demand for R&D competence and "users" of know-how generated at the Technopole on the international market. * Finally, there must be sufficient interest to provide investments to enable technology-oriented start-ups and spin-offs. Factors important to investors include: *Good buildings and building sites *An attractive environmental setting *Excellent highway access and proximity to an international airport *Excellent international tele-communication facilities *Good quality housing for managers and, *Easy access to a substantial pool of well trained and motivated labour Technopoles are also vulnerable to global trends and can dissolve quickly if they are not properly supported. Technopoles have to be flexible and willing to experiment with new ideas to be seen as a global competitor. 〔Quan-Haase 2012, p.67〕 Governments and corporations tend to continue to heavily invest in technopoles in hopes of gaining economic prosperity. 〔Quan-Haase 2012, p.72.〕 == Europe == Technopoles in the United Kingdom include counties such as Berkshire and Hampshire in the “Western Crescent” of London, as well as Hertfordshire in the Northern section of London. 〔 Breheny, 1985 as cited by Simmie, J. (1994). Technopole Planning in Britain, France, Japan and the USA. ''Planning Practice & Research, 9''(1). 〕 In France, there are technopoles located near Rennes, Grenoble, Toulouse, Lyon and Paris. 〔 Simmie, J. (1994). Technopole Planning in Britain, France, Japan and the USA. ''Planning Practice & Research, 9''(1). 〕 Writer Joel Stratte-McClure of ''Time Magazine'' described a technopole in southern France called ''Sophia Antipolis'' which had 1,200 companies in a sprawling development twenty minutes away from the airport in Nice. According to the report, the technopole featured hiking trails and jogging paths and riding stables and golf courses and signs which indicate the names of various species of plants, and with street names which were "slightly pretentious" such as "Rue Dostoevski" and "Rue Albert Einstein" criss-crossing rolling hills with pine trees.〔 There are reflecting pools, although the layout was criticized as somewhat "confusing" for taxi drivers.〔 The Technopole Program of Lower Austria is a trendsetter in implementing the linkage of education/training, research and business. Lower Austria’s three Technopoles are already setting international standards: Technopole Krems in the fields of biotech and regenerative medicine, Technopole Tulln in environmental biotechnology and agrobiotechnology, Technopole Wiener Neustadt in microsystems engineering, tribology and medical systems technology. == North America == Silicon Valley is one of the most innovative technopoles in the world. It is located in the San Francisco Bay area of California. The area consists of a 70 kilometre by 15 kilometre radius stretching from Palo Alto to San Jose. 〔Castells & Hall, 1994 as cited by Quan-Haase 2012, p. 68.〕 In the late 1950s, there were little computing and technology jobs in the region, this quickly changed in the 1970s and 1980s where in 1985 there was a reported 56,126 jobs in the high-tech field. 〔US Bureau of the Census- Country Business Patterns as cited by Quan-Haase 2012, p.68.〕 Frederick Terman, a professor at Stanford University who later became the Dean of electrical engineering, initiated many R&D initiatives in Silicon Valley. 〔Quan-Haase 2012, p.68.〕Terman helped his students, such as William Hewlett and David Packard, to initiate their own companies and at times even personally invested in them. 〔Quan-Haase 2012, p.68.〕 In 1951, Terman also helped to establish Stanford Industrial Park. Universities surrounding Silicon Vally have provided a constant stream of students who take interest in projects and companies within Silicon Valley. 〔Quan-Haase 2012, p.70.〕 With the various amounts of small companies in the area, it is common for employees to move from one company to another. Employees tend to maintain informal social connections with past coworkers which expand professional and social networks. 〔Quan-Haase 2012, p.70.〕 These expanded networks have enabled a rapid exchange of information resulting in the formation of new businesses, research, and development opportunities. 〔Saxenian as cited by Quan-Haase 2012, p.71.〕 Silicon Valley remains one of the leading technopoles of the world to date with its competitive entrepreneurs, its innovative workforce and its firm base of investors. 〔Castells & Hall, 1994 as cited by Quan-Haase 2012, p.71〕 Route 128 is another technopole located in the United States. Route 128 was a stretch of highway in the Greater Boston Area with many research and industrial facilities〔 Saxenian, A.L. (1996) ''Regional Advantage: Culture and Competition in Silicon Valley and Route 128''.Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. p. 16.〕 The route linked many towns in the greater Boston area and many technology firms relocated there for its proximity to universities such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge and Harvard. 〔Saxenian 1996, p. 16.〕 MIT played an integral role in establishing Route 128 as a technopole. MIT was established in 1861 as a technical university. 〔Saxenian 1996, p.12.〕 After the Second World War, MIT encouraged technological innovation through commercially oriented research. 〔Saxenian 1996, p.12.〕 Funding for research projects came from large corporations such as GE, Eastern Kodak, and Dupont, as well as the federal government. 〔Saxenian 1996, p.13.〕 In 1930, the Division of Industrial Cooperation and Research which solicited research contracts from companies was discontinued, although MIT maintained its capacity to solicit corporate contracts. 〔Saxenian 1996, p.13.〕 Many of research projects included electronic innovations and projects for the federal government. In 1941, the Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD) was created. 〔Saxenian 1996, p.13.〕 During the 1940s and 1950s, MIT received one third of the OSRD’s contracts, which was estimated at $330 million in contracts for research projects. 〔Saxenian 1996, p.14.〕 Harvard University and other local universities also received funding for research projects alongside MIT. This area was named “Research Row”. 〔Saxenian 1996, p.14.〕 Unlike Frederick Terman’s approach of aiding start-up companies within Stanford University, MIT had a strict policy which would not invest in start-up companies of its students, as investing was considered risky and inconsistent with their policies. 〔Saxenian 1996, p.15.〕 Despite MIT choosing not to invest in start-up organizations around the region, there were many technology firms that provided funding. MIT continues to solicit contracts from corporations and is still highly regarded as an institution that is a leader in technological innovations. Other technopoles in the United States include places such as Austin, TX; Denver-Boulder, CO; Huntsville, AL; Lafayette, IN; Madison, WI; Philadelphia-Wilmington-Trenton; Raleigh-Durham, NC; San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose and Washington. 〔 Malecki, 1979 as cited by Simmie, 1994 〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「technopole」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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