Technical Change and Economic Growth: Some Lessons from Secular Patterns and Some Conjectures on the Current Impact of ICT Technology

This paper discusses the link between patterns of technological change and economic development taking an evolutionary perspective. We argue that the modes and timing of such coupled dynamics are deeply influenced by the emergence of new techno-economic paradigms or regimes. ICT-based technologies are the drivers of the current paradigm, which, we show, is still at an early stage of diffusion, particularly for developing countries. Building from historical evidence, we argue that catching up of developing countries critically depends on their ability to master the technology behind the dominant technoeconomic paradigm. We then discuss threats and opportunities related to a possible ICTbased development path.Technical change, Economic Growth, ICT

Income Levels and Income Growth. Some New Cross-Country Evidence and Some Interpretative Puzzles

This work brings together two distinct ensembles of evidence concerning, at macro level, international distributions of incomes and their dynamics, and, at micro level, the size distributions of firms and the properties of their growth rates. Together, we also consider an intermediate level of observation, namely the properties of sectoral growth. First, our empirical analysis provides a fresh look at the international distri-butions of incomes and growth rates by investigating more closely the relationship between the two entities and the statistical properties of the growth process. Second, we try to identify those statistical properties which are invariant with respect to the scale of observation (country, sector or firm) as distinct from those that are instead scale specific. This exercise puts forward a few major interpretative challenges regarding the correlating processes underlying the statistical evidence.International Distribution of Incomes, International Growth Rates, Scaling Laws, Growth Volatility, Exponential Tails

The patterns of output growth of firms and countries: new evidence on scale invariances and scale specificities

This work brings together two distinct pieces of evidence concerning, at the macro level, international distributions of incomes and their dynamics, and, at the micro level, the size distributions of firms and the properties of their growth rates. First, our empirical analysis provides a new look at the international distribu- tions of incomes and growth rates by investigating more closely the relationship between the two entities and the statistical properties of the growth process. Second, we identify the statistical properties that are invariant with respect to the scale of observation (country or firm) as distinct from those that are scale specific. This exercise proposes a few major interpretative challenges regarding the correlating processes underlying the statistical evidence.International distribution of income, international growth rates, firm growth, scaling laws, growth volatility, exponential tails

The Grip of History and the Scope for Novelty: Some Results and Open Questions on Path Dependence in Economic Processes

-Path dependence, irreversibility, increasing returns, learning, lock-in.

'Chariots of Fire': The Evolution of Tank Technology, 1915-1945

We revisit the notion of technological trajectories by means of a detailed case-study of the evolution of tank technology between 1915 and 1945. We use principal component analysis to analyze the distribution of technological characteristics and how they map into specific service characteristics. We find that, despite the existence of differences in technical leadership, tank designs of different countries show a high degree of overlap and closeness along a common technological trajectory. In the conclusions, we speculate on whether this pattern can be explained by common heuristics that influenced the rate and direction of design activities or by doctrinal viewpoints influencing the development and use of tanks on the battlefield.Technological trajectories, Technological paradigms, Tanks.

Knowledge base, information search and intention to adopt innovation

Innovation is a process that involves searching for new information. This paper builds upon theoretical insights on individual and organizational learning and proposes a knowledge based model of how actors search for information when confronted with innovation. The model takes into account different search channels, both local and non local, and relates their use to the knowledge base of actors. The paper also provides an empirical validation of our model based on a study on the search channels used by a sample of Dutch consumers when buying new consumer electronic products.knowledge base, learning, information search, innovation, consumer behaviour

Diversification Patterns in the Growth of Firms: Evidence from Italian Manufacturing

We present empirical evidence on diversification patterns in Italian manufacturing firms and detect a robust relationship between firm size and diversification levels, with an elasticity of diversification that does not depend on firm size and is well below unity. Diversification does not lead to decreased corporate risk when measured in terms of the growth performance of Italian manufacturing firms. The findings support the Penrosian theory of diversification in the process of firm growth. In addition, we also speculate about the role of technology in the size-diversification nexus.

Perceived technology clusters and ownership of related technologies: the case of consumer electronics

We contribute to the understanding of how technologies may be perceived to be part of technology clusters. The value added of the paper is both at a theoretical and empirical level. We add to the theoretical understanding of technology clusters by distinguishing between clusters in perceptions and clusters in ownership and by proposing a mechanism to explain the existence of clusters. Our empirical analysis combines qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate clusters of consumer electronics for a sample of Dutch consumers. We find that perceived clusters in consumer electronics are mostly determined by functional linkages and that perceived technology clusters are good predictors of ownership clusters, but only for less widely diffused products.Technology clusters, consumer electronics, innovation

Path dependence in technologies and organizations: a concise guide

The note on which an entry for the Palgrave Encyclopedia of Strategic Management will draw offers a beginner’s guide to path dependency in technologies and organizations. We address the very meaning of the concept and its centrality in various aspects of economic analysis. We outline the various levels of the economic system where it is observable, its sources, consequences and different formal representations of path dependent processes.path dependence, lock-in, organizations, technologies