The Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC): A private initiative for industrial development

The private sector can create unique institutions that help to achieve indu strial and economic goals. To demonstrate this growth model, the Houston Ad vanced Research Centre (HARC) was created as a private non-profit organizat ion, part of a new town development north of Houston, Texas. Over its 17-ye ar history, HARC has successfully linked university, industry and governmen tal research in this framework. During this time,four strategies have been tested: large or sensitive R&D projects, strong links with member universit ies, efforts to bring technology to the marketplace, and policy analysis an d advice. Of these, the latter three are today's successes as HARC has beco me a more responsive, service-oriented organization. Also, sustainable deve lopment has emerged as a unifying theme, reflecting part of the organizatio n's initial legacy from its founder, George P. Mitchell. The Woodlands has grown around HARC as a place to live for over 50,000 people, a growing job bare, and realization of the initial "research forest" concept with more th an 100 firms and 4,500 employees.