Technological innovation is said to be breaking down borders. The Internet, the explosion of globalised financial markets, increased foreign direct investment by transnational corporations - all are portrayed as evidence of a global market in which the nation-state is little more than an anachronism. Yet some economies have proved more innovative and dynamic than others, and there seems no reason to believe that these differences in national economic performance will become a thing of the past. On the contrary, as many of the chapters in this book argue, with a global market, any competitive advantage is likely to bring larger rewards, and government action aimed at enhancing the competitive advantage of firms becomes more, rather than less, important. It is within this context that technological globalisation is analysed in this book.

Foreward Richard Nelson; Preface and acknowledgements; 1. Technological globalisation and national systems of innovation: an introduction Daniele Archibugi and Jonathan Michie; 2. The 'national system of innovation' in historical perspective Christopher Freeman; 3. Is national technology policy obsolete in a globalised world? The Japanese response Martin Fransman; 4. Technological accumulation and industrial growth: contrasts between developed and developing countries Martin Bell and Keith Pavitt; 5. Inward technology transfer and competitiveness: the role of national innovation systems David Mowery and Joanne Oxley; 6. The globalisation of technology: a new taxonomy Daniele Arhibugi and Jonathan Michie; 7. Localised production of technology for global markets Pari Patel; 8. The globalisation of technology: what remains of the product cycle model? John Cantwell; 9. Schumpeterian patterns of innovation Franco Malerba and Luigi Orsenigo; 10. Technology systems and technology policy in an evolutionary perspective Stan Metcalfe; Index.