Marina van Geenhuizen & Chihiro Watanabe 
Technological Innovation Across Nations 
Applied Studies of Coevolutionary Development

Innovation is the driving force behind economic growth. The knowledge that f- ters innovation builds on both systematic research and serendipity. The availability of new knowledge—be it technological or organizational (social)—is, however, – suf?cient. An institutional structure must be in place that enhances mutual learning among the actors involved and that stimulates cooperation, as well as competition. This recognition has inspired this volume, which focuses on national innovation s- tems and sectoral (technology) innovation systems that differ widely between co- tries, due to their diverse historical paths and distinctive cultural and societal f- tures. With regard to theory, most chapters incorporate a mix of endogenous growth theory and evolutionary thinking. Endogenous growth theory places an emphasis on the interplay between technological knowledge and various structural charact- istics of the economy and society, as well as on the results of economic growth. Concepts related to technology development, accumulation of knowledge on te- nology, and technology diffusion feature prominently here. In evolutionary thi- ing, and in particular coevolutionary thinking, the focus is on close links between technology and institutions, whereby the functionality of technology is in?uenced by certain dynamic interactions with institutional systems. Information technology turns out to be a clear example of such a development.

Table of Content

Applied Studies: Adoption of Information Technology in National Institutional Systems.- An Empirical Analysis of the Institutional System’s Effects on the Development of China’s Personal Computer Industry—From Inertia to Innovation.- An Empirical Analysis of the Coevolution of China’s Institutional System and Rapidly Growing PC Sector.- Institutional Context for IT Use in the Automotive Industry: A Case Study on the Market Leader in India’s Passenger Vehicle Sector.- Information Technology and Changing Institutional Systems as They Shift from an Industrial to an Information Society: An Initial Comparative Analysis of the USA, Japan, and China.- Analyzing the Export Intensity of Electronics Firms in India.- Applied Studies: Institutional Systems, Entrepreneurship, Knowledge Transfer and Learning.- Growth of Technology Incubators: An Evolutionary Perspective.- The Relationship between Universities of Professional Education and SMEs: Room for Improvement.- Small Biotechnology Industry and Institutional Transformation: A Case Study of The Netherlands.