Technical innovation and British economic performance

Abstract

This book is about technical innovation in industry: the development, commercialisation, adaptation and improvement of products and production processes. Its basic theme is that differences amongst firms and countries in the OECD area in their capacity for technical innovation have a significant influence on international competitiveness, economic growth and living standards. It argues that, for a long time, British industry's performance in technical innovation has on the whole been unsatisfactory in comparison with nearly all its major competitors, and that there are few signs of improvement. For Britain's economic performance and living standards to improve relative to those of other OECD countries will require - among other things - a deliberate policy to deal directly with British deficiencies in technical innovation.