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Article
Gauging Metropolitan “High-Tech” and “I-Tech” Activity
Economic Development Quarterly: The Journal of American Economic Revitalization (2004)
  • Karen Chapple, University of California - Berkeley
  • Ann Markusen, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
  • Greg Schrock, Portland State University
  • Daisaku Yamamoto, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
  • Pingkang Yu
Abstract
In the past few years, a number of new studies have published high-tech rankings of American metropolitan areas that are used by many business consultants and local economic development organizations to advise firms on location strategies. In this article, the authors generate their own rankings based on an occupational definition of “high techness” and compare them with those of four other studies. The results rank larger and older industrial cities, such as Chicago, New York, and even Detroit, higher than many of the smaller places celebrated as high tech, such as Austin. The work demonstrates that the methodology underlying rankings is crucially important to the outcome. By abandoning narrow notions of high tech restricted to maturing technologies in computers, electronics, and telecommunications and instead using science and technology (S&T) occupations as a marker for high tech, it may be possible to tag the innovative potential of emerging sectors, including high-tech services.
Publication Date
February, 2004
Citation Information
Karen Chapple, Ann Markusen, Greg Schrock, Daisaku Yamamoto, et al.. "Gauging Metropolitan “High-Tech” and “I-Tech” Activity" Economic Development Quarterly: The Journal of American Economic Revitalization Vol. 18 Iss. 1 (2004)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/gschrock/11/