| One of the most visible locational decisions on．a
high technology firm was made by the Microelectronics and Computer Technology
Corporation(MCC)．A joint venture of a dozen major computer and semi-conductor
firms，MCC was founded to do research{{U}} (21) {{/U}}advanced level
technologies such as new generations of supercomputers，artificial intelligence
and robotics．{{U}} (22) {{/U}}a consortium created in 1982 by several
firms，it had no home base or locational inertia，and began its search for a site
by examining 57 cities across the country．The cities made polished sales pitches
to lure the firm's eventual 400 engineers and scientists．The four finalists in
the chase-Atlantis，Austin，San Diego and Raleigh-Durham，in the Research Triangle
area of North Carolina，{{U}} (23) {{/U}}．was particularly noted for high
tech activity． When Austin was choosen。its attractions to MCC were widely analysed by other would-be Silicon Valleys．Austin，the state capital，iS the site of the main campus of the University of Texas，a school that{{U}} (24) {{/U}}among the top twenty in the country in research funding．The university's reputation，state commitments of further support，and the city's proven quality of life attractiveness{{U}} (25) {{/U}} high tech people were the deciding factors．Austin and the State of Texas added to these attractions a package of financial and other incentives，including a favorable lease on land in the university's research park and subsidized mortgages{{U}} (26) {{/U}}．relocating employees． {{U}} (27) {{/U}}return Austin had got not only the MCC．In the typical snowballing manner of high tech areas，several other companies have decided to move research {{U}}(28) {{/U}}other advanced technology facilities there．Lockheed Missiles and Space Company，3M Corporation，and Motorola are among the firms which have added to theagglomeration of technical workers there，{{U}} (29) {{/U}}the expense of cities like Minneapolis and Phoenix，where the companies have other facilities．As a matter of fact，the entire 100 mile corridor between Austin and San Antonio is nicknamed“Silicon Gulch”．San Antonio is the site of several computer biotechnology and electronics companies．{{U}} (30) {{/U}}the“Gulch”will rival the San Francisco Bay and Boston regions in high technology will depend on its ability to spawn a succession of new firms as technology advances and changes． |