Planners, Technology, and Economic Growth

Abstract

State and local governments have begun recently to develop policies and programs to promote economic growth based on high-technology industry. This article examines the link between technology and economic growth and identifies problematic issues for the planning profession. In developing and evaluating policies to promote high-technology economic development, planners encounter two main problems: first, the concept of high technology encompasses more kinds of activities than any tightly targeted policy can (or should) attempt to influence; and second, not enough is known (and insufficient data are available) about how various policies affect local economies to evaluate the effects of those programs usefully. Those problems suggest a research agenda for planners; the results of that research would be important for designing state and local policies and planning activities to support economic growth based on high-technology industry.