THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN ATTAINING REGIONAL COMPETITIVENESS UNDER ADVERSITY

We examine the role of the university in attaining regional competitiveness in technology in periods of extreme adversity such as has been the case in the post-Hurricane Katrina situation in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. We note that, in such situations, much can be learned from the experiences of developing nations which have successfully attained technological leadership in specific niches. University leadership will be important in several arenas. Teaching and research will need to be targeted to regionally-important areas. The research findings must be transferred to organizations which can exploit opportunities and develop needed technologies. Universities can serve as both disseminators of information and as collaborators in the process. Universities can both spark new businesses and support existing businesses. To determine what is needed and where the niches are, we highlight the importance of text mining of publication and patent databases. Text mining can identify regional strengths upon which competitive advantages can be built. THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN ATTAINING REGIONAL COMPETITIVENESS UNDER ADVERSITY In our knowledge-based economy, economic growth is related to technologica