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Economic Development
Louisiana Economic Development Stresses Importance of Fiber Growth
Holding true to its Louisiana: Vision 2020, the Louisiana Department of Economic Development has made information technology a top priority of the future for the state's economic success. Through organizations and companies that focus on information technology, the state department is trying to link the industry together with government and academia so there is no disconnect in future economic growth.
The department hopes to accomplish this goal by adopting the cluster concept. According to the department, clusters are networks of compatible and competitive interrelated businesses working together to strengthen the market or industry they are in. This strategy requires the infrastructure and workforce needed to expand the industry, and one of the more optimum ways to obtain these necessities is through the use of high-speed fiber optic networks.
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Dan Henderson, director of Information Technology Business Development for the department, says the creation of high-speed fiber networks for research will create new jobs, attract more skilled talent, add much-needed infrastructure, and it will also create additional wealth in the state as a result. Plus, with these economic benefits in place through this fiber connection, there is not only more of a chance for businesses to locate in Louisiana, but also for the state's existing companies to expand and flourish beyond its borders. All of these economic benefits come as a result of this driver of high technology fiber activity, he says.
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"The use of high-speed fiber connectivity is clearly an economic development infrastructure tool," Henderson says. “This is an infrastructure that attracts information technology talent and companies to Louisiana. Information technology and its related research activities are part of what we need to do to diversify our economy and improve our way of life."
Another collateral benefit of high bandwidth connections will be the increased collaboration between research institutions and universities. Through fiber networks, the research institutions will be able to share valuable information concerning research projects, possibly receiving profitable grants that were otherwise unobtainable. Using high-speed fiber as a connection tool will also greatly increase this research activity and help in gaining additional funding for the research faculty and institutions, Henderson says.
"This kind of fiber optic connectivity in general is really economic development at its best,"Henderson says."Extremely high bandwidth can result very quickly into increased dollars flowing into Louisiana, which in turn, sparks technological innovations, which in turn results in commercialization activities and spin-off companies."
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“This is an infrastructure
that attracts information technology talent and companies to Louisiana. Information
technology and its related research
activities are part of what we need to do to diversify our economy and improve
our way of life."
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