I contributed a link and a short comment on Paul Graham's essay on replicating Silicon Valley elsewhere in America a few weeks ago. However, in an era of globalization, can Silicon Valley be replicated elsewhere in the world? What economics conditions and policies are conducive to producing a successful Silicon Valley overseas? Paul Graham, once again, explored the issues and came up with an essay entitled "Why Startups Condense in America" that addresses the question.
Although I study policy and management that focus on entrepreneurship and national economic competitiveness, I never really delve into the success of Silicon Valley and how it may be emulated. I have read and learned from class many of the things that Paul had mentioned in his essays; but I just didn't had the time or the opportunity to link these percepts together. I think that the essays are thought-provoking and I agree with Paul wholeheartedly. To replicate a successful cluster of high-technology companies, the best thing that policy-maker can do is not to force it to happen but build the right conditions and let it happen. It is like that inner voice in the movie Field of Dreams: "If you build it, they will come."