Industrial and technology parks are commonly regarded as a policy
panacea. They tend to be considered as the ideal instrument to alleviate
an assortment of institutional, political, economic, social and
ultimately, technological weaknesses and often form the centrepiece of
development strategies. Yet, the real impact of industrial and
technology parks, especially in emerging countries is still poorly
understood. Focusing on examples from Latin America, Asia, Africa and
the Middle East, the book represents a first approach to understand the
potential and reality of industrial and technology parks in emerging
countries. It is argued that although some parks have been successful in
addressing a range of key problems, including underdevelopment,
unemployment and a lack of investment, the majority have failed to
deliver, rendering the promise of many parks little more than a
pipedream.