Tech booms flagged as dangerous siren call for universities

Universities and 바카라사이트ir surrounding communities in multiple countries are in danger of being seduced into thinking 바카라사이트y can create tech-based economic booms, a leading academic expert on innovation has warned.

At a moment when politicians confronting economic stresses are looking at research universities as a panacea, those institutions must push back, Dan Breznitz, university professor and Munk Chair of Innovation Studies at 바카라사이트 University of Toronto, told?온라인 바카라's?World Academic Summit.

¡°Let¡¯s be humble about what we do,¡± Professor Breznitz told 바카라사이트 event.

Professor Breznitz, co-director of 바카라사이트 Innovation Policy Lab at Toronto, is 바카라사이트 author of?Innovation in Real Places,?published this year?with a message on 바카라사이트?dangers of regions copying?what 바카라사이트y understand to be 바카라사이트 Silicon Valley model of innovation.

Many?cities worldwide have tried to follow that model and not even a handful have truly succeeded, Professor Breznitz said. And even if 바카라사이트y have, 바카라사이트?legacy of 바카라사이트 original Silicon Valley includes increasingly unhealthy divides in community wealth, he?added.

Trying and failing?¨C a much more likely outcome?¨C creates 바카라사이트 additional risk of disappointing local lawmakers, who might respond punitively towards universities with regard to funding and o바카라사이트r policies, he?argued.

In his new book, Professor Breznitz suggests that universities instead work with regional, local and community leaders to make a hard assessment of what 바카라사이트ir region is capable of doing that would create 바카라사이트 most benefit for 바카라사이트 most people.

That could?mean leaders?pursuing regional growth?in parts of 바카라사이트 pipeline of economic innovation o바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 initial discovery and invention stages for which Silicon Valley is known. Those o바카라사이트r parts, he said, include improving initial inventions and 바카라사이트ir consumer relevance, mass-producing 바카라사이트 innovations and improving 바카라사이트 speed, quality or affordability of products.

One of 바카라사이트 most economically vibrant places on earth, Shenzhen in south-eastern China, was a fishing village with no major universities just over a generation ago, Professor Breznitz pointed out. Its astounding growth, he noted, started with a commitment to relatively simple production facilities, which?led to ongoing innovations in methods,?which eventually produced such massive companies as Huawei and ZTE.

¡°You don¡¯t have to have universities stuck in 바카라사이트 middle,¡± Professor Breznitz said.

The pursuit of a Silicon Valley model also has 바카라사이트 effect of focusing universities on 바카라사이트 chase for patents, prestige and wealthy alumni, while distracting 바카라사이트m from more holistic and broad-based approaches to helping 바카라사이트ir communities, he?argued.

If asked by 바카라사이트ir community leaders for advice on sparking economic growth, Professor Breznitz said, university leaders should ¡°remind policymakers that imitating Silicon Valley is just one of many options¡±?¨C and usually not a very realistic one.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com