Introduction 

This research programs aims to increase our understanding of how flows of technological knowledge between economic actors are related with (comparative) economic performance and how they can be influenced for public policy purposes. The starting point for the formulation of this research theme is the notion that the economic impact of technological change is primarily an outcome of diffusion and not just of innovation. Diffusion here, must be understood in a broad sense, because the spread of innovative products and incremental innovations are closely related phenomena, as the application and diffusion of innovations leads to further learning and incremental innovations. 

The research program comprises three focal areas:

• The impact of technology flows on economic performance
• The role of networks and clusters in innovation processes
• Technology policy and regulation

Research on the impact of technology flows on economic performances focuses on (productivity) growth rate differentials at country and regional levels and takes an applied as well as a theoretical perspective. Research in the second focal area deals mostly with the emergence and functioning of (geographically embedded) innovation networks. An explicit goal of this research is to strengthen the link between economic and sociological theorizing, by means of the systematic application of social network analysis to empirical cases. The third area is concerned with formulation and implementation of effective technology policies. In particular, research has here addressed the themes of regulation, standardization and intellectual property rights. Special emphasis has been given to critical domains such as the telecommunication industry where all three themes are intertwined.