Social Capital and Business Development in High-Technology Clusters

The economics of regional clusters, where business formation, technological innovation, and the emergence of a highly-skilled labor force converge, has become a popular topic among academic researchers, entrepreneurs and investors, and policymakers alike. This book applies a variety of tools and models to analyze, in depth, the formation and growth of high-tech clusters, first by exploring the institutional forces that promote the failure or success of such agglomerations, and then by focusing on the dynamics of the labor force, including knowledge and skill transfer, job creation, and hiring practices. Considering the influence of such factors as geographical proximity, inter-firm networks, and ethnic and cultural features, the authors present a rigorous, empirical approach to the development of human and social capital in high-tech environments, with implications for business creation, organizational management, and institutional policymaking.