The conclusions of the report are based on the following points:

• The creation and exploitation of new knowledge do not have to be co-located.  There is no point in cities or regions, let alone countries, trying to create all the components of an innovation system within their boundaries. If a city or a region is good at generating new ideas but bad at exploiting them locally, then its optimal option is to link with partners elsewhere which have the resources and expertise to exploit those ideas and turn them into products and services which can be deployed on a massive scale.

Cambridge:  Why are some metropolitan areas so much more entrepreneurial than others? Silicon Valley seems almost magically entrepreneurial with a new startup on every street corner, but in declining Rust Belt cities such startups are far and few between.  High levels of entrepreneurship are closely correlated with regional economic growth. Places with abundant new start-ups also experience faster income and employment growth. Areas with more small, independent firms far in the past have tended to do better.

Unsurprisingly, local policy makers who are looking for ways to rev the economic engines of their cities are interested in policies that can generate more entrepreneurship. Therefore, understanding the determinants of entrepreneurship can help guide the development of more effective economic development policies, both locally and nationally.  Click here for a downloadable copy of this February 2010 Policy Brief from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Lancaster:  Once again, the Lancaster County Workforce Investment Board will be sponsoring tours of area companies for educators from June 21-23, 2010.  This year's theme is "Discovering Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)".

This Tour will be a great way for educators to step outside of the classroom and learn about various occupations, projected job growth, and new technology within STEM industries.  Tours begin at the PA CareerLink at 1016 N. Charlotte Street in Lancaster.  Lunch and transportation are provided.  Participants are welcome to attend one day or more.  Penn State Lancaster is providing the Act 48 credits asa well as undergraduate and graduate credit that links course work to the Industry Tours. 

Registration is required for educators to participate.  Contact Andrew Garner at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by June 1, 2010.

Mount Joy: Secretary of Labor and Industry Sandi Vito visited the Lancaster County Career and Technology Center on Thursday, April 22 to meet with representatives of local companies who are members of local Industry Partnerships in the metals, food, plastics, health care, printing, and agriculture industries and to talk about pending legislation in the PA Senate in support of keeping the program in the forefront of Pennsylvania's economic development efforts.

Vito praised the work of the Lancaster County Workforce Investment Board in bringing companies together to upgrade the skills of their current workforce.  "Technology is changing the face of industry, particularly manufacturing, throughout the Commonwealth.  Government needs to support the efforts  of businesses to stay competitive in the global marketplace," she commented.  Representative Scott Boyd told those present that the PA House of Representatives recently passed the bill unanimously..."something that doesn't always happen"...but an action that is reflective of the bipartisan nature of the bill.

In the course of the visit, the Secretary toured the Mechatronics training facility as well as a new shared kitchen space for food entrepreneurs that is being developed on-site.  "The Lancaster County Career and Technology Center is an important part of our innovation system in this region and regularly contributes to the upskilling of the incumbent workforce," commented Scott Sheely, Executive Director of the Lancaster County Workforce Investment Board.

For more information on the pending legislation, contact Troy Thompson, Press Secretary of the PA Department of Labor and Industry at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .