Introduction

Technology and industrial parks are increasingly regarded as a policy panacea, especially in many areas of the developing world. They tend to be considered as the ideal instrument to alleviate an assortment of institutional, political, economic, social, and ultimately, technological weaknesses and often form the centrepiece of innovation and development strategies. Yet, the real impact of technology and industrial parks in emerging countries is still poorly understood. Focusing on examples from Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, this book represents a first approach to understand the potential and reality of science and technology and of industrial parks in emerging countries. It is argued that although some parks have been successful in addressing a range of key problems, including lack of innovative capacity, unemployment, and limited private investment, the successful cases have been the exception rather than the rule. The majority of parks in the emerging world are failing to deliver, rendering the promises of making huge leaps up the innovation ladder and of unleashing development little more than pipedreams.