Doc Assesses Role Of Science, Technology In State Competitiveness
In response to state and regional requests for assistance in identifying factors that influence regional innovation and competitiveness, the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) has released an annual report that measures the science and technology indicators in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
The third annual edition of The Dynamics of Technology-Based Economic Development, released by the Commerce Department’s Office of Technology Policy, contains data to help policy-makers and regional leaders better understand the factors that influence economic outcomes at the state and local level.
Areas such as education levels, R&D investment and the numbers of patents issued are among the categories measured.
“Technological innovation and commercialization are the new drivers of economic growth, both in the U.S. and around the world,” said Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy Bruce Mehlman. “As state business and government leaders attempt to fashion appropriate economic development strategies, many first try to measure and understand their existing science and technology assets and strengths. This report goes a long way in helping localities obtain the information they need.”
A new feature of the State Indicators Report is use of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes. This data system contains a more accurate definition of high technology that reflects the importance of high tech services, such as those related to systems design, data processing, software development and telecommunications.
The full report (PDF) is available at www.ta.doc.gov/reports.
