POLITICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE ASPECTS OF STATE HIGH TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS

The euphoria associated with bold new ventures by the states to initiate high technology development programs can obscure many of the political and economic realities that condition and constrain them. This article introduces and explores the implications of a number of hypotheses about these relationships. Current state high technology development programs are placed within historical context by comparing current initiatives with the science/research-based economic development strategies of the 1960s. Potential conflicts among universities, state officials, and other parties-at-interest related to the time frame and payoffs of high technology development programs are identified and discussed.