Computer use is mainly associated with skilled, high-wage workers. Furthermore, the introduction of computers leads to upgrading of skill requirements. This suggests that the computer requires certain skills to take full advantage of its possibilities. Empirical findings, however, suggest that...

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A large part of the literature from industrial organisation and management expects that, compared with unrelated M&As, related M&As show superior economic performance because of synergetic effects that follow from economies of scale and scope. The current contribution takes the debate on the...

The methods by which fuels can be converted into electricity all belong to different “technology families”: the “gas-fired-turbine-family”, the “coal-fired-turbine-family”, etc. Each family consists of different generations of similar technologies, as in a vintage model. Within a...

In order to identify, assimilate and exploit knowledge spill-overs from technological leaders, lagging countries need absorption capability. The main determinant of absorption capability is the organisation of R&D personnel. Relatively more research scientists and engineers must be employed in...

This paper builds a general equilibrium model of endogenous growth outside the representativeagent framework to show that when individuals are heterogenous, persistent inequality will bethe result of economic growth. Individuals are assumed to be born with different abilities, whichwill lead to...

This paper discusses the position of the European Union in the world economy by focussing on innovation, knowledge creation and technology policy. First, we explore and analyse the concept of knowledge and its application in a modern Schumpeterian framework. Second, we address some new insights...

The Porter Hypothesis postulates that the costs of compliance with environmental standards may be partially or even fully offset by adoption of innovations they trigger. The timing of the adoption aspect of the Porter Hypothesis has not been captured in formal theory so far. We show in this...

The impacts of the New Economy are not limited only to recently developed technologies, but involve new opportunities for more “traditional” technologies to develop. Knowledge-based industries, and information technologies in particular, hold both promises and threats in many fields....

This paper discusses some of the new policy challenges raised by the trend towards the knowledge based economy. It is argued that this trend signals a further weakening of old "market failure" arguments in guiding public action in the field of science, technology and innovation policy. Rather a...