The Role of Science and Technology Parks in Fostering Technological Innovation in Manufacturing

In recent years, manufacturing has returned to the forefront of policy making aimed at boosting national and regional economies. Terms such as back to making stuff and the factory of the future can be found in reports urging governments to boost local industry by developing policies to support modern manufacturing and the technology that is transforming it. While policies for the factory of the future are under discussion, specific programs to increase the productivity and level of innovation of SME manufacturers are also underway (National Academies, 2013). Traditionally, manufacturing activities were excluded from Science and Technology Parks (STPs); manufacturing understood as large scale production of goods. This paper argues that STPs have an opportunity to play a leading role in fostering, and articulating the adoption of modern manufacturing practices and technologies, and that this should be done by taking into account the demand identified in their local areas of influence.