Kathryn Ibata-Arens, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor

Kathryn Ibata-Arens, Ph.D.
Northwestern University
773.325.4716
Room 2214
990 West Fullerton
kibataar@depaul.edu

The Socio-Political Foundations of the Kyoto Model:
Comparative Lessons?

This project examines spatial, institutional and human interstices in successful innovative community development. I propose a study of how embedded enterprise (how economic activity is embedded in certain socio-political milieu or “habitats”) and civic entrepreneurship (business leaders having a keen sense of “giving back” to local communities for mutual long term gain) impact innovation in sustainable community development in Japan and the United States ( Kyoto , St. Louis ). Data will be collected using surveys and semi-structured interviews with community development organizations, local firms, entrepreneurs and government officials. Case study analyses will be conducted from the perspective of entrepreneurial firms. Qualitative measures include local (district), city, regional and national economic development policies; grassroots activities; and sociograms. Quantitative measures include industrial mapping (e.g., composition, concentration), capital investment and trade statistics.

Life Science Clusterization in the United States and Japan

Life science, comprising overlapping fields including biotechnology, medical devices and nanotechnology, is one of the world’s most rapidly growing industrial sectors. Growth in biotechnology, life science’s largest sub-sector, is driven largely by the United States. That is, more than 75% of global revenues and employment are generated in the U.S. alone. Further, a number of American regions have risen as global life science centers: San Francisco, Boston, and San Diego, to name a few. What causes certain regions to successfully cluster? Can this success be replicated elsewhere? Specifically, what jump-starts technology commercialization, angel investment, and subsequent venture capital and new business formation? Highlighting innovation and entrepreneurship policies and practice in emerging life science regions in the U.S. and Japan, Ibata-Arens presents a new model – based on extensive survey and case study research – for Life science Regional Innovation Systems (LSRIS). Best practices (and misses) are examined at national, regional and firm levels, highlighting developments in Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, St. Louis, Kobe, Kyoto and Osaka.

The project examines spatial, institutional and human interstices in successful innovative community development. Data is collected using surveys and semi-structured interviews with community development organizations, local firms, entrepreneurs and government officials. Case study analyses are conducted from the perspective of entrepreneurial firms. Qualitative measures include local (district), city, regional and national economic development policies; grassroots activities; and sociograms. Quantitative measures include industrial mapping (e.g., composition, concentration), capital investment and trade statistics.