Technology, Innovation and Industrial Economics: Institutional Perspectives, inspired by the work of William E. Cole, Professor Emeritus at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, extends his work with essays on technology, innovation and industrial economics from an Institutionalist perspective. The managerial style, innovational practices and industrial setting of the continuous improvement firm are central to several chapters. This volume also features innovation and technology in Latin America, Adam Smith's writing on entrepreneurship and a comparison of American and European Institutionalism. The topics of technology, innovation, industrial organization and industrial policy are being widely discussed and debated in today's literature, but seldom from an Institutionalist perspective. The purpose of this book is to reduce substantially this missing dimension in the ongoing debates on these important issues.

Recent developments in economics have gone from the recognition of the importance of innovation for growth and the exploration of innovation mechanisms to the incorporation of the results of the previous research into economic models. An important lesson to be drawn from all this research is that a purely macro-based analysis of growth is not enough. The various mechanisms of innovation creation and diffusion, the importance of agent heterogeneity, of market selection processes, of the internal organization of the firm and of organizational routines, and the obsolescence and the consequent emergence of new types of capital goods are a few examples of micro-economic phenomena that contribute decisively to macro-economic development. The papers in this volume approach those issues from a Schumpeterian point of view and tackle issues like the growing importance of knowledge and human capital; increasing returns and path dependence; the role of variety in economic growth; competition and industry evolution.

In the past ten to twenty years the global political economy picture has dramatically changed with the emergence of the economies of Brazil, Russia, India and, notably, China (BRICs) as big players and competitors of the advanced economies in the West and Eastern Asia. The book comparatively analyses institutional change in the BRICs. This book examines the BRICs by analysing their institutional development, their main continuities and changes, and their differences. It provides a comparative analysis of the political economies of the BRICs, but also considers South Africa and Turkey. The contributors provide a systematic comparison of the state-economy and the capital-labour relationships and explore whether they liberalized or followed a specific trajectory. The book also addresses debates on the varieties of capitalism and explores whether the emerging economies fit into the dichotomous construction of liberal and coordinated capitalism or whether they require a more differentiated typological approach. Moving away from rigid conceptions and the static classification of political economies as either liberal or coordinated and presenting a more open approach, The BRICs and Emerging Economies in Comparative Perspective will be vital reading for students and scholars of comparative political economy, international relations, capitalism, the BRICs, emerging markets and the role of the state in the economy.

John Kenneth Galbraith was an eminent economist and proponent of change. The contributors to the book further his analysis on the evolution of capitalism; taking into account changes to the general economic climate since the publication of J.K. Galbraith s main thesis, they outline new ideas which form fertile ground for new research. The book begins with a penetrating analysis of the main features of today s capitalism and in particular the conflict between shareholders and managers. It moves on to focus on the consequences of globalization in the decision-making processes of large corporations and represents an important step in the development of a theory of fraud and corruption within corporations. In the final part, the authors address and explore the consequences of the domination of influential groups over major social and political decisions, on the blurred boundaries between the public and the private sectors and its consequences in the fields of technological regulation and the evolution of public services. In so doing, the authors question the meaning and power of democracy in today s society. Innovation, Evolution and Economic Change will appeal to a wide readership and audience of economists, policy makers and political organization.

Following the volumes on Henri Fayol, this next mini-set in the series focuses on F.W. Taylor, the initiator of "scientific management". Taylor set out to transform what had previously been a crude art form in to a firm body of knowledge.

This shortform book presents key peer-reviewed research on industrial history. In selecting and contextualising this volume, the editors address how the field of textile history has evolved. Themes covered include entrepreneurial, technological and labour history, whilst the book highlights the strategic and social consequences of innovations in the history of this key UK sector. Of interest to business and economic historians, this shortform book also provides analysis and illustrative case studies that will be valuable reading across the social sciences.

'Transparency' has become both a catch-word in public debate and also an important research topic. Comprised of authoritative yet accessible contributions, this handbook surveys existing economic research on transparency and provides an up-to-date account of its meaning and significance in economic policy, market integration and regulation, and corporate governance and disclosure.

There is now a wide spread interest in regions as a key focus in the organization and governance of economic growth and wealth creation. This important book considers the factors that influence and shape the competitive performance of regions. This is not just an issue of academic interest and debate, but also of increasing policy deliberation and action. However, as the readings in this book make clear, the very idea of regional competitiveness is itself complex and contentious. Many academics and policy makers have used the concept without fully considering what is meant by the term and how it can be measured. Policy formulation has tended to rush ahead of understanding and analysis, and the purpose of this book is to close this important gap in understanding. This book was previously published as a special issue of Regional Studies.