Chapter three - The sectoral typology of high-tech zones

Abstract

High-tech zones and their locations shape economic development place-based strategies. These strategies stem from the theories that find tech clusters in favor of walkable and transit-accessible locations following the preferences of footloose workers of the creative class. Such approaches, however, fail to consider countervailing factors including changes in logistics, land values, the rise of the e-economy, and gig workers, all of which depend on the sectoral typology of a tech cluster. This chapter builds upon the location of high-tech clusters addressed presented in Chapter 2 to qualify and explore the sectoral typology of tech clusters. The findings in this chapter show that the majority (80%) of the 627 tech clusters identified in Chapter 2 have multiple dominant tech industries or are specialized in professional services. Furthermore, the U.S. high-tech clusters and the overall high-tech economy are strongly shaped by the location and performance of professional services, i.e., consulting, legal, computer, engineering, and architectural services.