Innovation, Path Dependency, and Policy: The Norwegian Case

The concept of National Innovation Systems is well established in academic research and enthusiastically adopted by policymakers. Yet there are relatively few in-depth studies of how individual national innovation systems have evolved to their present stance. This book provides just that. The contributions of the book are threefold. First, it develops an evolutionary and historically oriented approach to the study of the development of these policies that may have wide applicability. Second, it focuses on a particular type of innovation, innovation in resource-based activities, that differs in many respects from the more commonly studied case of innovation in high-tech industries. Third, the book advances our understanding of the roles played by institutions and politics in innovation. The book includes contributions from historians, economists, and sociologists, and offers an unparalleled account of the development of one of the world's most successful economies. Contributors to this volume - Heidi Wiig Aslesen, Norwegian Institute for Studies in Research and Education, Centre for Innovation Research, Fulvio Castellacci, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), Oslo, Tommy H. Clausen, Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture (TIK), University of Oslo, Ole Andreas Engen, University of Stavanger, Jan Fagerberg, Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture (TIK), University of Oslo, Terje Gronning, Department of Educational Research, University of Oslo, Magnus Gulbrandsen, Norwegian Institute for Studies in Research and Education, Centre for Innovation Research, Svein Erik Moen, Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture (TIK), University of Oslo, Svein Olav Nas, Norwegian Institute for Studies in Research and Education, Centre for Innovation Research, Lars Nerdrum, Norwegian Institute for Studies in Research and Education, Centre for Innovation Research, David Mowery, Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley, Knut Sogner, Norwegian School of Management, Bart Verspagen, Department of Economics and UNU-MERIT, Maastricht University, Olav Wicken, Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture (TIK), University of Oslo.