Industrial innovation is essential for national and corporate competitiveness. Understanding the nature, determinants and consequences of innovation is a key task of managers, public policymakers and all students of industry and business. This major new reference book brings together specially commissioned contributions by many leading world experts on a wide range of issues concerning innovation. The first section provides an introduction to the significance and process of industrial innovation, and to the contexts or 'systems' within which it occurs. A series of sectoral and industrial studies is followed by assessments of the key issues affecting innovation. Another section examines one of the main constraints on successful innovation: the strategic management of technology in both products and processes.

As well as the benefits of innovation, the problems and challenges of the processes, management and outcomes of innovation are raised throughout the book. Select bibliographies chosen by international experts are included to ensure that this comprehensive reference tool is an indispensable guide for students, scholars, innovators and policymakers.