You assume that the best can work anywhere in the world, assuming where the largest concentration of smart people are and where the living expense is low.... but if that were true why would Silicon Valley exist where it does now? You assume it is the minds which create the goods and this is true to an extent, but even the most brilliant mind in China in the 57 years of Communist rule couldn't do what a mediocre student could do in Silicon Valley.
I think geographical location is important. Industry specific geographical eco-systems can last for centuries.
I just watched a special about NOYCE on cspan - he is attributed as being a founder of silicon valley - he came from greater philadelphia area - he had a wife and 2 kids - the author said he came to silicon valley because his wife wanted a house and he could not afford one in greater philadelphia, but silicon valley (wasnt called that in the 50's) had cheap homes. Also she said Stanford and ARPA and DOD funneled a lot of money into the industry of the area and set up a lot of ties between academic research and business- great working relationships between lots of new blood from all over the country moving there - cheap housing was a factor.
Speech
The Man Behind the Microchip: Robert Noyce
ID: 187717 - 07/06/2005 - 0:44 - $29.95
Berlin, Leslie, Visiting Scholar, Stanford University, History & Philosophy of Science & Technology
Leslie Berlin talked about her book The Man Behind the Microchip: Robert Noyce and the Invention of Silicon Valley, published by Oxford University Press. In the book she talks about Robert Noyce, co-inventor of the integrated circuit (the "chip") and co-founder of Intel. For his accomplishments, Mr. Noyce has been called the Thomas Edison and Henry Ford of Silicon Valley. Ms. Berlin talked about Noyce's adventurous life, his accomplishments, and the influence he had on people such as Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.
So Arun, if cheap housing helped it grow, can expensive housing help kill it?
I know scripps just opened new place in Palm Beach fla, but I don't think they were smart on that one, florida is more hot and humid than cali - more hurricanes - more flat - more swampy - an earthquake is different, it shakes stuff up, things move a few feet - hurricane come blow yer stuff away - send it miles down the way - hehe. |
