Biotechnology and Competitive Advantage investigates the development of biotechnology in Europe and the United States. It examines why Europe has fallen behind in applying biotechnology, when its scientific capabilities are largely comparable to those in the US. In addition it sheds new light on the wider context of the theory of growth of new technologies. This innovative book brings together a wide range of material concerning socio-economic aspects of the development of biotechnology in Europe and the US. Issues discussed include: * European policy for biotechnology, in individual countries and at the European Union level * risk regulation and the ways in which industry, regulators and non-government organizations manage risk regulation and the perception of risk * the formation and roles of biotechnology firms in Europe and the US and their relative capabilities * gene therapy development in Europe and the US * the impact on Europe of overseas biotechnology research by European multinationals. This book argues in favour of developing an integrated research and development system which will strengthen the research and development capabilities of all the actors involved. This book will be of great interest to science policymakers; businesses and academics studying the development of biotechnology and students of economics and business studies throughout Europe and the US.

Governments around the world have policies to promote links between industry and academic and government laboratories in order to foster economic growth and innovation in the technology-based industries. Knowledge Frontiers gives new insights into this process and offers an original framework for tracking these interactions. The book shows what 'knowledge' companies want from public sector research, and how they network to get this knowledge in three new and promising fields of advanced technology - biotechnology, engineering ceramics, and parallel computing. The authors first look at some of the background issues - policy issues about links between industry and public sector research; the ways in which science and technology interact in the innovation process; and general developments in each of the technologies examined. They look in more detail at public-private research links in the three areas. They find similarities which point to the general importance to innovation of frontier research in universities, and the need to encourage informal interaction/contact between industrial and public sector researchers. They also find differences between the fields which suggest that the policies to provide research links should be more effectively targeted, as an integral part of the broader objective of fostering 'strategic technologies'. Knowledge Frontiers advances our understanding of the various types of knowledge used in the course of research, design, and development leading to innovation. It is essential reading for those wanting to get to grips with the complex and dynamic realities of the innovation process - be they researchers, managers, or policy makers.