Editorial What do we know about innovation?

Abstract

In this editorial article, we introduce this Special Issue of Research Policy in honour of the late Keith Pavitt, a pioneer in science and technology policy studies and a scholar of innovation. The papers in this Issue were drawn from a widely attended international conference held in Keith's honour in November 2003 and selected according to their contribution to themes central to the Pavitt tradition: the nature of technological knowledge, the management of research and development in the firm, systems of innovation and measurement of scientific and technological activities. There are a further two papers which describe not only Keith Pavitt's scholarly legacy to the fields of innovation studies and science and technology policy but also the important role he played in forging the growing community of scholarship in technology and innovation.