One of the features that Australia has in common with other countries has been the encouragement of clusters of high-technology firms or technology-oriented complexes (TOCs). In Australia, the primary mechanism for promoting TOCs has been technology parks. In this paper the purpose is to review technology park developments in Australia from a perspective which emphasises some key conceptual features of the literature in this area: Agglomeration economies of high-technology firms and firm–university interaction; the creation of new high-technology complexes; and locational factors which make technology parks attractive to high-technology companies. Three Australian case studies, based on interviews with high-technology firms, are reported. One of the key findings from the research is that if Australian technology parks are aiming to establish TOCs that exhibit a high level of interaction between the park and a host university, then the present situation in Australia is far removed from this goal.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BollingerLHopeKUtterbackJ, 1983, “A review of literature and hypotheses on new high technology-based firms”Research Policy12(1) 1–14
2.
BraunEMacdonaldS, 1983Revolution in Miniature, the History of the Impact of Semiconductor Electronics (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge)
3.
BullockM, 1983Academic Enterprise, Industrial Innovation and the Development of High Technology Financing in the United StatesBrand Bros and Co., 32 Southborough Road, London E9 7EF
4.
BylinskyG, 1985Silicon Valley High Tech (International Publishing Corporation, Hong Kong)
5.
Campus News, 1985, “Federal grant promotes technology” 5 July, page 2; available from The University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
6.
CooperAC, 1970, “The Palo Alto experience”Industrial Research May, 58–60
7.
CurrieJ, 1985Science Parks in Britain: Their Role for the Late 1980's (CSP Economic Publications, Cotswold, Heol y Parc Pentyrch, Cardiff CF4 8ND)
8.
DanilovV, 1971, “The research park shake-out”Industrial Research May, 44–47
9.
DeutermanEP, 1966, “Seeding science based industries”New England Business Review December, 7–15
10.
DorfmanN, 1983, “Route 128: The development of a high technology economy”Research Policy12299–316
11.
DTC, 1983High Tech: Myths and Realities, a Review of Developments for Knowledge-based IndustriesDebenham, Tewson and Chinnocks, 44 Brook Street, London W1Y 1YB
12.
Economic Impact, 1985, “The high-technology park: Ingredients of success”3(51) 7
13.
Electronics News, 1985, “Technology centre to assist Wollongong industry” September, pages 52 and 54
14.
HallJ, 1987Small Business Incubators—The Relevant Factors for the Successful Establishment and Management of Incubator Centres for the Support of Small Business Ventures in Australia mimeograph, Department of Accounting and Legal Studies, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
15.
HowellJM, 1982, “States as economic laboratories”Society18(5); cited in RothwellR, 1985, “Venture finance, small firms and public policy in the UK”Research Policy14(5) 253–265
16.
JonesB, 1985, “The technology park concept”Urban Policy and Research3(1) 37–38
17.
LarsenJRogersE, 1984Silicon Valley Fever (Allen and Unwin, Hemel Hempstead, Herts)
18.
LoweJ, 1985, “Science parks in the UK”Lloyds Bank Review (156) April 31–42
19.
MacdonaldS, 1983, “High technology policy and the Silicon Valley model”Prometheus1(2) 330–349
20.
MacdonaldS, 1987a, “British science parks: Reflections on the politics of high technology”R&D Management17(1) 25–37
21.
MacdonaldS, 1987b, “The development of high technology industry in Australia: A matter of policy”, in The Development of High Technology Industry Eds BrehenyMMcQuaidR, (Croom Helm, Beckenham, Kent) pp 223–261
22.
McElyeaJR, 1974, “Setting your sights on R&D sites”Industrial Research16(5) 46–48
23.
MillerRCoteM, 1985, “Growing the next Silicon Valley”Harvard Business Review July–August, 114–123
24.
Minister for Industry, Technology, and Commerce, 1986, “National network of centres for innovation and development of entrepreneurs”News Release number 160, 18 November; copy available from the Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce, 51 Allara Street, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
25.
MinshallC, 1983An Overview of Trends in Science and High Technology Parks Economics and Policy Analysis OP-37, Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus Division, Ohio, USA
26.
NorthcottK, 1987, “Tex mess, Austin finds its city limits”The Progressive April 36–39
27.
OakeyR, 1985, “High technology industries and agglomeration economies”, in Silicon Landscapes Eds HallPMarkusenA, (Allen and Unwin, Hemel Hempstead, Herts) pp 94–117
28.
Premier of NSW, 1985, “Federal funds of $10 million for technology centres in the Hunter and Illawarra”News Release 27 June; copy available from Premier's Department, State Office Block, Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
29.
QPD, 1983Towards a Strategy for Technological Development in QueenslandQueensland Premier's Department, Executive Building, 100 George Street, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia
30.
QPD, 1984The Role of Research/Technology Parks in Queensland's Technological DevelopmentQueensland Premier's Department, Trade and Investment Branch, Executive Building, 100 George Street, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia
31.
RMC, 1985, interview with J Sidoti, 16 September, Town Planning Department, Ryde Municipal Council, corner of Blaxland and Devlin Street, Ryde, NSW 2113, Australia
32.
SADTI, 1981Report of Study Tour of Selected North American Research Parks “Part 1—report and recommendations”, South Australian Department of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Technology, Education Centre, 31 Flinders Street, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
33.
SaxenianA, 1985, “The genesis of Silicon Valley”, in Silicon Landscapes Eds HallPMarkusenA, (Allen and Unwin, Hemel Hempstead, Herts) pp 20–34
34.
SirbuMTreitelRYorszWRobertsE, 1976The Formation of a Technology Oriented Complex: Lessons from North American and European Experience (Centre for Policy Alternatives, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA)
35.
SQP, 1985The Cambridge Phenomenon, the Growth of High Technology Industry in a University TownSegal, Quince and Partners, Mount Pleasant House, Mount Pleasant, Cambridge, England
TaylorT, 1985, “High-technology industry and the development of science parks”, in Silicon Landscapes Eds HallPMarkusenA, (Allen and Unwin, Hemel Hempstead, Herts) pp 134–143
38.
USC, 1984Technology, Innovation and Regional Economic Development OTA-STI-238, US Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, Washington, DC (US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC)
39.
WilliamsJFD, 1982A Review of Science Parks and High Technology Development Drivers Jonas, 16 Suffolk Street, London SW1 4HG, England
