Innovation and Growth—From R&D Strategies of Innovating Firms to Economy-Wide Technological Change

This volume provides an understanding of firms' R&D and innovation strategies and their economy-wide consequences. It is based on the premise that differences in firm-level returns, as well as economy-wide outcomes, may be linked to the heterogeneous ways in which firms organize and undertake R&D and innovation activities. It emphasizes innovation strategies of innovating firms, and reflects that innovation efforts do not represent a uniform type of expenditure. Organized into three parts the volume moves from the micro to the macro-level. This structure highlights the notion that R&D and innovation and growth are two interdependent perspectives. The first of these is micro-oriented and focuses on innovation processes of firms, where R&D activities and other innovation efforts give rise to consequences such as a strengthening of resource bases, growth of sales and employment, patents, new products, increasing productivity and profits, and improved chances of survival. The second perspective comprises economy-wide effects in the form of overall technological change, growth in total factor productivity, and structural change processes, where certain sectors may benefit from new inputs from other sectors while others experience declining markets and reduced output.

The book brings together contributions and perspectives from both economics and business scholars, and will appeal to academics, researchers, and students interested in R&D and innovation strategies, international business, business strategy, and the economics of technological change.

Martin Andersson is an economist by training and has a PhD in economics from the Jonkoping International Business School (JIBS). Before joining CIRCLE, Prof. Andersson worked as research coordinator at CESIS and post-doc researcher at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) and JIBS. His research focuses on innovation, trade and location and their interplay, including non-linear relations and dynamics in innovation and learning processes.


Borje Johansson received his PhD at the University in Gothenburg in 1978. Prof. Johansson is editor of the international journal Annals of Regional Science (Springer-Verlag). In Sweden he has carried out major projects on high-speed train development and on transport policies for the National Swedish Road Authority.


Charlie Karlsson is also Guest Professor of Economics at University West, Trollhattan and Associate Professor in Regional Planning at the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm. He holds a BSc and an MSc in Economics from the University of Gothenburg and a PhD in Economics from Umea University. In his research, Prof. Karlsson has focused on infrastructure economics, urban economics, the economics of innovation and technological change, regional economics, spatial industrial dynamics, entrepreneurship and small business economics, international trade, and the economics of R&D and higher education.

Hans Loof is also deputy director of the Center for Excellence of Science and Innovation Studies and program manager for the Master Programme Economics of Innovation and Growth. Prof. Loof is member of the editorial board of The Annals of Regional Science and has worked as expert on innovation for the Ministry of Industry in Sweden. His main research interest is the process of economic growth, and its relation to knowledge, technology, and innovation. This includes areas such as micro econometrics, economics of innovation, economic geography, international trade, industrial dynamics, and financial economics.