Comments on: Clusters of Creativity: Enduring Lessons on Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Silicon Valley and Europe’s Silicon Fen http://www.yesweb-az.org/325-clusters-of-creativity-enduring-lessons-on-innovation-and-entrepreneurship-from-silicon-valley-and-europes-silicon-fen.html Mon, 10 May 2010 03:59:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: jack http://www.yesweb-az.org/325-clusters-of-creativity-enduring-lessons-on-innovation-and-entrepreneurship-from-silicon-valley-and-europes-silicon-fen.html#comment-562 jack Fri, 07 May 2010 18:35:15 +0000 http://www.yesweb-az.org/325-clusters-of-creativity-enduring-lessons-on-innovation-and-entrepreneurship-from-silicon-valley-and-europes-silicon-fen.html#comment-562 While somewhat critical of Saxenian's "Regional Advantage" the author has presented an excellent case of how self-perception and mindset of people essentially influences decision-making, which in turn drives an innovative economy up or down.<br>It is a fascinating journey into the makings of both Silicon Valley and Silicon Fen. However, I would say that the author only reinforces Saxenians's conclusions that the culture and the value system shape the strength of an economy as much as technical expertise if not more.<br>The book was elegantly written while it touched the deep underlying dynamics that were responsible for the creation and ultimate degree of success these two regions achieved.<br>I would highly recommend it to everybody interested in regional development and business clustering. Rating: 5 / 5 While somewhat critical of Saxenian’s “Regional Advantage” the author has presented an excellent case of how self-perception and mindset of people essentially influences decision-making, which in turn drives an innovative economy up or down.
It is a fascinating journey into the makings of both Silicon Valley and Silicon Fen. However, I would say that the author only reinforces Saxenians’s conclusions that the culture and the value system shape the strength of an economy as much as technical expertise if not more.
The book was elegantly written while it touched the deep underlying dynamics that were responsible for the creation and ultimate degree of success these two regions achieved.
I would highly recommend it to everybody interested in regional development and business clustering.
Rating: 5 / 5

]]> By: Christopher Jones http://www.yesweb-az.org/325-clusters-of-creativity-enduring-lessons-on-innovation-and-entrepreneurship-from-silicon-valley-and-europes-silicon-fen.html#comment-561 Christopher Jones Fri, 07 May 2010 15:57:26 +0000 http://www.yesweb-az.org/325-clusters-of-creativity-enduring-lessons-on-innovation-and-entrepreneurship-from-silicon-valley-and-europes-silicon-fen.html#comment-561 This is an interesting overview of the history and drivers of Silicon Valley and the Cambridge Phenomenon - certainly, anyone working in those two places will find it fascinating. <br /> <br />The book starts worryingly like a university dissertation - but does get to the point and its theory a few pages in: that management and entrepreneurship have driven these tech centres - not geography, first mover advantage, or even technological advantage, or other vague impersonal forces. For the most part, the book demonstrates the theory, especially in the Silicon Valley half of the book. The Cambridge part of the book is a bit more historical and gossipy. Rating: 4 / 5 This is an interesting overview of the history and drivers of Silicon Valley and the Cambridge Phenomenon – certainly, anyone working in those two places will find it fascinating.

The book starts worryingly like a university dissertation – but does get to the point and its theory a few pages in: that management and entrepreneurship have driven these tech centres – not geography, first mover advantage, or even technological advantage, or other vague impersonal forces. For the most part, the book demonstrates the theory, especially in the Silicon Valley half of the book. The Cambridge part of the book is a bit more historical and gossipy.
Rating: 4 / 5

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