The Fountain of Knowledge The Role of Universities in Economic Development

"A timely and outstanding analysis of the link between university activity and local economic growth. Refreshing insights into how regional development requires more than just a top-tier university producing world class research. Breznitz shows us that the university and its region must also have mutually supportive innovation policies that co-evolve."-Ian P. McCarthy, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Technology & Operations Management, Simon Fraser University "Breznitz makes an important contribution to our understanding of the factors affecting the rise of the entrepreneurial university. Given untapped intellectual, social, and financial capital, the exercise of concerted academic leadership can turn an ivory tower into an engine of local economic development in less than a decade. Read on and discover how."-Henry Etzkowitz, Institute of Triple Helix Innovation "This book provides two in-depth case studies of the intricacies of technology transfer, the functioning of the office, and its relationship to the larger university-all embedded in regional and national context. This analysis increases our understanding of how location interacts with a university's capacity to produce the outcomes that are important to economic growth and development."-Maryann Feldman, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill "At a time when we are questioning the ROI of universities, this book pulls back the covers to help everyone understand the critical roles that these institutions can play in our economy. Ease of navigation and transparency are lessons that all universities should take seriously. This book underscores why the implementation of those ideals is not for the faint of heart."-Lesa Mitchell, Vice President, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation "This lucid presentation unpacks the complexity of two famous universities' journey toward technology commercialization with a goal of local economic impact. Linking local geographies with organizational paths, this book reveals how the relationships among organizational structure, technology commercialization strategy, and local economic development remain unclear and unquantifiable."-Sharmistha Bagchi-Sen, SUNY Buffalo