Texas vs. California: shoot-out at the high-tech corral

High-tech business is the fastest growing segment of the US economy. California and Texas are the number 1 and number 2 states, respectively, by most indicators. California´s lead appears to be fostered, at least in part, by intensive investment in research and development, much of which takes place in its flagship universities. The flagship universities serve an additional purpose to the state schools, which primarily educate people. Flagship universities conduct research that leads to new technology and economic growth that benefits everybody. It is not reasonable to expect that high-tech research will be distributed equally throughout the state´s many academic institutions. It takes a concentration of key factors to attract top-level faculty and big-dollar research funding. It cannot be built overnight. It must be nurtured if it is to grow. The observation that emerges from all this is as follows. If Texas is to achieve its full potential as an economic power, thereby to improve the lifestyle of all Texans, it must take an aggressive, proactive approach to supporting research in its flagship universities