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The boston bio-bang: The emergence of a “Regional system of innovation”

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Knowledge, Technology & Policy

Abstract

In this article we will describe the emergence of a great number of small, regionally concentrated, innovative biotech companies. We see these organizations as “hosts” of concepts and ideas, greatly influencing their spreading over the sector. We have chosen an evolutionary perspective following individual companies in their struggle for survival, describing it as “obtaining food” and “fooling predators.” This struggle gives insight in the behavior of the biotech companies and related institutions as a “system of innovation.” One of our findings is that the variety of biotech companies is conditioned by their selection environment, but that this selection environment allows great variety and even encourage variety by keeping the companies small.

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Authors
  1. Haiko Van der Voort
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  2. Martin De Jong
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Additional information

Haiko Van der Voort is a research associate who lectures and publishes in a wide range of issues including precess management and system innovations.

Martin De Jong is associate professor of public management.

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Van der Voort, H., De Jong, M. The boston bio-bang: The emergence of a “Regional system of innovation”. Know Techn Pol 16, 46–60 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12130-004-1014-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12130-004-1014-3

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