Research was a critical component of the competitiveness initiative.

Results from Dr. Michael Porter’s Cluster of Innovation study laid the groundwork for the project. Five additional research projects conducted by local partners during 2003 guided the task force’s recommendations.

The six research projects were:

• "A Blueprint for Life Sciences Industry Growth In the Research Triangle Region ,” quantifies the size and nature of the region's life sciences industry, analyzes the region's competitive strengths and challenges for attracting new industry investment, and recommends strategies to ensure continued development of the industry in the region.
• “Identifying Targets of Opportunity: Competitive Clusters for RTRP and its Sub-regions ” analyzes industry data to identify existing and emerging clusters in the region.
• “R&D Inventory and Growth Opportunity Analysis, ” analyzes the Research Triangle Region's technology strengths mapped to growth opportunities in the industry clusters they impact.
• “Future Cluster Competitiveness Effort: Recommended Actions from Focus Groups” outlines recommendations from industry experts on how to promote the growth of the region’s targeted technology clusters.
• “Best Practices in the Implementation of Cluster-Focused Strategy” documents best practices in cluster implementation from around the world.

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Project Sponsors

Task Force Members