The political economy of Hong Kong quest for high technology innovation

In the late 1990s, the nascent Special Administrative Region state put forward a new developmental strategy to turn Hong Kong into a global high tech city. Various programmes such as Cyberport, the Innovation Technology Fund, the Hong Kong Science & Technology Park, and the Applied Science and T...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of contemporary Asia 2006-01, Vol.36 (1), p.102-120
Main Authors: Baark, Erik, So, Alvin Y
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Area studies
Asia
Asian studies
Hong Kong
Information technology
Innovation
Innovation policy
Political economy
Service industry
Technology
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:In the late 1990s, the nascent Special Administrative Region state put forward a new developmental strategy to turn Hong Kong into a global high tech city. Various programmes such as Cyberport, the Innovation Technology Fund, the Hong Kong Science & Technology Park, and the Applied Science and Technology Research Institute were launched. This article examines the conditions that led to the formulation of the Cyberport project and the way it has been implemented. It is argued that the project is deeply embedded in the political economy of the post-colonial Hong Kong state-society relationship. Furthermore, closer examination of the rhetoric and realities of the Cyberport project reveals deep-seated and fundamental flaws in the Hong Kong government's ability and willingness to pursue a strategy for promotion of high technology industries. Reprinted by permission of the Journal of Contemporary Asia/ Routledge, Taylor and Francis Ltd.
ISSN:0047-2336