'In Economics as Anatomy Peter Swann has produced a wonderful sequel to his earlier 2006 classic, Putting Econometrics into Its Place. In this powerful new book, Peter Swann shows how key ideas from the economics of innovation can reconstruct economics as an empirical science. The challenge for mainstream economists is to embrace diversity and help rebuild the subject of economics so that it is no less innovative and dynamic than the economy itself. Economists need to go back to their roots and build something different.' - Kevin Dowd, Durham University, UK 'This is an important, thought-provoking, well-argued and provocative work which questions the methodological basis of, and the status accorded to, econometric analyses. . . This book will prove useful to all economic researchers, whatever the stage of their career - from undergraduates to longstanding professors. This book should stimulate a lively debate and should result in all researching economists to reflect critically on their current approaches and become more open to methods other than the strictly econometric.' - Adrian Darnell, Durham University, UK There are two fundamentally different approaches to innovation: incremental and radical. In Economics as Anatomy, G.M. Peter Swann argues that economics as a discipline needs both perspectives in order to create the maximum beneficial effect for the economy. Chapters explore how and why mainstream economics is very good at incremental innovation but seems uncomfortable with radical innovation. Swann argues that economics should follow the example of many other disciplines, transitioning from one field to a range of semi-autonomous sub-disciplines. In this book, he compares the missing link in empirical economics to being the economic equivalent of anatomy, the basis of medical discourse. Working as a sequel to Swann's Putting Econometrics in its Place, this book will be a vital resource to those who are discontent with the state of mainstream economics, especially those actively seeking to promote change in the discipline. Students wishing to see progress in the teaching of economics will also benefit from this timely book.

This major textbook provides a comprehensive yet accessible introduction to the economics of innovation, written for students with some basic knowledge of economics. G.M. Peter Swann contends that innovation is one of the most important economic and business phenomena of our time and a topic of great practical and policy interest, with widespread implications for our economy and society. This book engages with the reader to explore some of the key economic issues concerning innovation. Bridging a gap in the literature, this timely textbook addresses critical questions such as: How should different aspects of innovation be described and classified? What are the incentives to innovate? How should firms organize themselves to promote innovation? What are the effects of innovation on the economy? Do governments have a role in supporting and guiding innovation? Introducing the student to a broad range of issues surrounding the economics of innovation, this text will prove invaluable to students on a variety of courses including economics, business and management, innovation, and science and technology studies.

This major textbook provides a comprehensive yet accessible introduction to the economics of innovation, written for students with some basic knowledge of economics. G.M. Peter Swann contends that innovation is one of the most important economic and business phenomena of our time and a topic of great practical and policy interest, with widespread implications for our economy and society. This book engages with the reader to explore some of the key economic issues concerning innovation. Bridging a gap in the literature, this timely textbook addresses critical questions such as: How should different aspects of innovation be described and classified? What are the incentives to innovate? How should firms organize themselves to promote innovation? What are the effects of innovation on the economy? Do governments have a role in supporting and guiding innovation? Introducing the student to a broad range of issues surrounding the economics of innovation, this text will prove invaluable to students on a variety of courses including economics, business and management, innovation, and science and technology studies.

Putting Econometrics in its Place is an original and fascinating book, in which Peter Swann argues that econometrics has dominated applied economics for far too long and displaced other essential techniques. While Peter Swann is critical of the monopoly that econometrics currently holds in applied economics, the more important and positive contribution of the book is to propose a new direction and a new attitude to applied economics.The advance of econometrics from its early days has been a massive achievement, but it has also been problematic; practical results from the use of econometrics are often disappointing. The author argues that to get applied economics back on course economists must use a much wider variety of research techniques, and must once again learn to respect vernacular knowledge of the economy. This vernacular includes the knowledge gathered by ordinary people from their everyday interactions with markets. While vernacular knowledge is often unsystematic and informal, it offers insights that can never be found from formal analysis alone. As a serious, original and sometimes contentious book, its readership will be varied and international. Scholars throughout the many fields of economics - both skilled and unskilled in econometrics - are likely to be intrigued by the serious alternative approaches outlined within the book. It will also appeal to communities of economists outside economics departments in government, industry and business as well as business and management schools. Research centres for applied economics, policy research and innovation research, will also find it of interest due to its focus on getting reliable results rather than methodological orthodoxy for its own sake.