1.3.6 Quaternary Sector

Question 1

Examples of quaternary clusters?

Answer 1

Silicon Valley, California
Tech City (Silicon Roundabout), London

Question 2

What factors have made Silicon Valley a successful quaternary cluster?

Answer 2

• Stanford University
• Lots of investors and start-up culture
• Changing lifestyle and culture
• Government investment
• Larger, global talent pool
• Talent refuses to leave
• Lots of airports (San Fran, San Jose, Oakland)
• Nice place, weather, beach

Question 3

Give some negative impacts of Silicon Valley

Answer 3

• Local people needed to move out (gentrification) (home owners)
• Not well integrated - resources shared between local and tech workers
• Less gender diversity
• Highway 101 is very jammed

Question 4

Give some positive impacts of Silicon Valley

Answer 4

• Good for local home owners (gentrification)
• More diversity (and demand for other cultures)
• Culture may influence local people
• Lots of tax money

Question 5

Explain why a larger, global talent pool has caused the growth of quaternary clusters

Answer 5

• People are likely to accept a job if they get flown across the world to Silicon Valley
• More high-skill workers
• Can benefit from intense education found abroad
• Tech companies have more to spend on competing for the best workers