Innovation goes downtown (urban science parks)

Article Type: Abstracts From: Development and Learning in Organizations, Volume 24, Issue 3

Engardio P.Business Week (USA), 30 November 2009, No. 4157, Start page: 50, No. of pages: 3

Traces the evolution of the concept of the urban science park from its origin, 50 years ago in the shape of the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina,to the modern version exemplified by 22@Barcelona, the massive science park constructed in the Spanish city of Barcelona by transforming 115 blocks of the city to house over 1,000 international media, IT and medical technology companies that are expected to employ 150,000 people in 15 years, and where a converted factory houses 55 start-ups. Describes similar science park developments in Singapore, in the form of the One North project where one section is called Biopolis, an research and development (R&D) complex for life sciences, and Digital Media City, a major science park in Seoul, South Korea. Notes the views of critics who warn that the science park phenomenon is being overdone and that these grand projects are not needed in an era when creative types increasingly collaborate over the Internet.Article type:ViewpointISSN: 0007-7135Reference: 39AC696

Keywords: Innovation, Organizations, Product development,Product innovation, R&D, Science parks, Singapore, South Korea, Spain,Start-ups, Technology-led strategy