Introduction

This chapter analyzes a process vital to economic development - technological change. It describes the processes driving innovation, so that gain a deeper insight into the development of economies. The chapter explores the concept of innovation potential and the factors that result in variations in innovation potential across metropolitan areas, using the United States machine tool industry as a case study. Metro-regions can provide a better approximation of an area evolved out of economic processes that contains the "socioeconomic, political, and cultural milieu" required of Ann Markusen than either states or multistate regions. Markusen defines a region as a historically evolved, contiguous territorial society that possesses a physical environment, a socioeconomic, political, and cultural milieu, and a spatial structure distinct from other regions and from the other major territorial units, city and nation. The chapter also presents an overview of key concepts discussed in this book.