Innovation studies: evolution and future challenges

Innovation is increasingly recognized as a vitally important social and economic phenomenon worthy of serious research study. Firms are concerned about their innovation ability, particularly relative to their competitors. Politicians care about innovation, too, because of its presumed social and economic impact. However, to recognize that innovation is desirable is not sufficient. What is required is systematic and reliable knowledge about how best to influence innovation and to exploit its effects to the full. Gaining such knowledge is the aim of the field of innovation studies, which is now at least half a century old. Hence, it is an opportune time to ask what has been achieved and what we still need to know more about. This is what this book sets out to explore. Written by a number of central contributors to the field, it critically examines the current state of the art and identifies issues that merit greater attention. The focus is mainly on how society can derive the greatest benefit from innovation and what needs to done to achieve this. However, to learn more about how society can benefit more from innovation, one also needs to understand innovation processes in firms and how these interact with broader social, institutional and political factors. Such issues are therefore also central to the discussion here. -- Provided by publisher.

Machine generated contents note: 1. Innovation Studies: Towards a New Agenda / Esben S. Andersen -- 1.1. Introduction -- 1.2. Understanding Innovation: A Brief Historical Sketch -- 1.3. An Evolving Agenda -- 1.4. Achievements and Challenges -- 1.5. Towards a New Agenda? -- pt. I Evolution, Developments, and Key Issues -- 2. Innovation Studies: A Personal Interpretation of `The State of the Art' / Bengt-Ake Lundvall -- 2.1. Introduction -- 2.2. Learning from Project Research -- 2.3. The Theoretical Core of Innovation Studies -- 2.4. Innovation Studies: Drawing the Boundaries to Adjacent Fields -- 2.5. Opening Up the Borders of Innovation Studies -- 2.6. The Future of Innovation Studies -- 3. Innovation, Work Organization, and Systems of Social Protection / Edward Lorenz -- 3.1. Introduction -- 3.2. Work Organization and Organizational Design -- 3.3. National Systems of Innovation and Competence Building: What Are the Relevant Institutions?

Contents note continued: 3.4. Regions and Nations: The Need for a Multi-Level Governance Framework -- 3.5. Policies for Organizational Change and Innovation -- 4. Innovation Systems and Policy for Development in a Changing World / Carlota Perez …