Issues in the Design of State Science- and Technology-Based Economic Development Programs: The Case of Pennsylvania's Ben Franklin Partnership

Pennsylvania, primarily through the Ben Franklin Partnership Program, has vigorously pursued science and technology (S&T)-based economic development strategies. This article describes the partnership and highlights the policy choices made when establishing this S&T-based economic development policy. Emphasis is placed on organizational form, the attract or develop question, issues relating to firm size, and targeting by sectors or technologies.