Technological resources and innovation
(5/12/2005)


Is it possible to clone Silicon Valley ?

  • Daniel ROUACH
    Professor, ESCP-EAP, Paris and at the Technion Institute of Technology, Israel

Summary

The government has great hopes for the development of 'centres of excellence' in order to stimulate innovation in France, and to promote our public research. However, this vague concept may hide very different realities. Helped by a research team, Daniel Rouach studied the characteristics of centres which encourage the creation of economic wealth and the factors necessary to encourage innovation on several continents. He talks about the constants and the variations of diverse clusters inspired by the Californian Silicon Valley model, as well as the reasons for their success. Drawing on his professional experience, he takes the example of Israel which sets itself apart from other countries by its rigid national philosophy. Even though technical, financial and strategic criteria are important, what appears to be decisive is the state of mind of the different partners and their interrelationships in the medium and long term.

Summary translated from French by Rachel MARLIN.

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