State Science- and Technology-Based Economic Development Policy: History, Trends and Developments, and Future Directions

Abstract

This article examines the history of state science- and technology-based economic development efforts since the late 1960s, identifying trends and developments, current emphases, and future directions. State programs have gone through three periods of evolution in design and focus; each of these is described. Overall, the legacies of state technology-based economic development since World War II have had considerable impact on the overall practice of state economic development, including changes in the areas of finance, real estate, entrepreneurship, and talent, and in the role of higher education. These legacies are described, and implications for future state directions in state science- and technology-based development are examined.