Transforming Pittsburgh's Economic Ecosystem and Clusters

摘要

The Pittsburgh region's recovery and transformation from an economy dominated by heavy industry to a balanced and diversified economy throughout the region has been documented by many publications during the past decade.Pittsburgh is rightfully viewed as a model for post-industrial transformation and is positioned to provide sustainable careers and a high standard of living for its people.This article will not attempt to tell that broad economic recovery story again, but instead will focus on one important aspect of the story: the rise of Life Sciences/Biotech as one of the key clusters driving the Pittsburgh story.I had the privilege of being at the table for much of the planning and execution that went into the development of this cluster.In this article, I hope to provide a unique view of the key elements of the plan for Life Sciences in the Pittsburgh Region.From my perspective, there were five key elements to the regional strategy that supported the results achieved over the past 20 years.They include: Analysis and Planning, a Targeted local Cluster Development Initiative, Public Policy and Program support from the State, a unique collaboration between the two premier research and educational institutions in the region, and the cooperation and support of existing local economic development organizations.This article will explore each of these five areas and concludes that together they provided a unique and effective strategy for targeted cluster development, and broad-based leadership.