The New Argonauts

One of our speakers in the morning panel, Dr. Annalee Saxenian, Dean of the School of Information at UC Berkeley, was recently featured in an article in the Mercury News (September 3, 2006). Dr. Saxenian answered questions about her recently published book, THE NEW ARGONAUTS: REGIONAL ADVANTAGE IN A GLOBAL ECONOMY.

The new argonauts are those entrepreneurs who have come to the US for an education, but have gone back to their home countries, or are actively engaged with them, for business purposes. While this is a relatively new phenomenon, having developed over the last ten years, Saxenian argues more importantly that the technology and enterprise clusters set up by the new argonauts in India, China, Taiwan and Israel are extensions of Silicon Valley. They are hybrid forms, combining innovative features of the Valley with political, cultural and corporate features of their home countries. These clusters also have the potential to become partners for Silicon Valley. According to Dr. Saxenian: "This is perhaps my rosy-eyed view of globalization that we are seeing new centers that are becoming viable partners, not just cheap labor, not just head-on competitors but partners for Silicon Valley firms."

The question is, how do these new clusters and linkages play out in the ICTD field? More generally, to what extent do entrepreneurs who return home, if they are successful, use their wealth and innovation to work towards more equitably prosperous societies in their home countries? One answer to this question can be found by looking at the Indian community in Silicon Valley, many of whose members are engaged in social development projects in India. We would like to hear from their experiences. And maybe Dr. Saxenian will provide additional answers at the Summit.