What is Industrial Commons

Innovation-based manufacturing remains the key factor in the creation of growth and prosperity. The historical indicators point to the prominent contribution of technology-based manufacturing in boosting productivity. In this context, this chapter argues that successful and sustainable innovation is possible when skilled human resources, universities, R&D facilities, and factories are located in close proximity. This approach is discussed through the impact of the of deindustrialization and reindustrialization trends in the U.S. which began in early 1980s, when neoliberal policies speeded the tendency of relocating many manufacturing businesses overseas mainly to benefit from low cost labor. However, beginning from the past decade, the U.S. Government policies have been prominently shifting towards reshoring some of the manufacturing facilities to the U.S. soil. Consistently, the historical facts show that a stronger innovation capacity is linked with an intimately associated and efficiently functioning university-industry collaboration system..