The integration of national economies in a global economic system has become a central feature of contemporary political, social, economic, and cultural life. However, neither the mechanisms nor the consequences of such integration are well understood. In this collection of essays leading scholars utilize the concepts and insights of evolutionary economics to clarify the structure of innovation systems, the relationship innovation systems have to competitiveness and sustainability, and the role played by technological innovations in fostering economic growth and international integration.

Focusing on North America, Innovation Systems in a Global Context examines the nature of existing systems of innovation in the United States, Canada, and Mexico; the conceptual questions surrounding the analysis of such systems; trends towards the creation of supranational systems in East Asia, Europe, and North America; and some of the ecological, cultural, economic, and social problems confronting these large-scale systems.