The contribution to innovation and regional growth of high technology based firms in the United Kingdom

This paper considers the evolution of regional policy in the United Kingdom in general, and the particular role of high technology new firms in creating industrial growth at national levels. Following a brief discussion of the major stages of industrial development in the United Kingdom the changing geographical impact of high technology small firms is considered. It is observed that, following a period of strong agglomeration in well known concentrations there has been a tendency for dispersal to more peripheral development locations. In the final phase of the paper, the theme of policy towards high technology small firms is developed in a more detailed non-spatial context with the support of empirical data