Home / Lectures / Woody Powell, Stanford University
Organizational and Institutional Genesis: The Emergence of High-Tech Clusters in the Life Sciences

Woody Powell, Stanford University
Description
Semester:
- Winter 2010
Speakers:
Lecture Time:
Fri, March 26, 2010 @ 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm
Lecture Location:
Room R0240, Ross School of Business
Speaker Webpage(s):
http://ed.stanford.edu/suse/faculty/displayRecord.php?suid=woodyp
http://www.stanford.edu/group/song/woody_index.html
Introduced By:
No introduction available.
Abstract
Organizational and Institutional Genesis: The Emergence of High-Tech Clusters in the Life Sciences
Most research on the emergence of high-tech clusters samples on successful cases, and works backwards to trace a narrative, often highlighting the role of specific individuals or groups. Our approach begins with the formation of a new field — biotechnology in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and follows the field to the present. We emphasize the sequence of network formation, and the importance of organizational diversity and catalytic organizations that provide relational and normative glue. We examine eleven regions in the U.S. that were rich in resources — ideas, money, and skills — that could have led to the formation of life science clusters. Three of the communities formed robust groupings, but most did not . Although local details are always relevant, our argument transcends the nuances of history in each community to specify the processes and mechanisms that foster catalytic growth. The necessary conditions are a diversity of for-profit, nonprofit, and public organizations, a local anchor tenant, and a dense web of local relationships. These features make possible cross-network transposition, whereby experience, status, and legitimacy in one domain are converted into “fresh” action in another. The argument does not hinge on specific types of organizations or ingredients; indeed, it is general enought to accommodate multiple pathways.
Recording & Additional Notes
Co-Sponsor: Organizational Studies, Barger Leadership Institute
Introducer: Ozan Jaquette, School of Education