Section III of the regional business survey, Regional Norms and Attitudes, deals with the cultural aspects of a region and how they can help or hinder innovation. The questions are divided into three main themes that area related to supporting an innovative environment:

• Appreciation for diverse views and backgrounds

• Willingness to collaborate 

• Understanding and appreciation for the entrepreneurial process

Rather than ask questions that directly address how a person thinks, respondents are asked to share their “level of agreement” with a number of relevant descriptive statements about the region. This method is utilized to minimize the false answers that may be offered when respondents believe there is a “right” answer to a question. (For example, few people would disclose personal racial biases, but would answer forthright that racism exists in the community.)

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