Edited by Rod Coombs, Professor of Technology Management and Director of Cromtec, Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, UK, the late Albert Richards, formerly, Research Associate, Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, UK, Pier Paolo Saviotti, INRA-SERD, Pierre Mendès University, Grenoble and IDEFI-CNRS-UNSA Sophia-Antipolis, France and Vivien Walsh, Senior Lecturer in Technology Management, Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, UK