National strategies for technological innovation

The purpose of this paper is to consider the implications of the fragmented, multidisciplinary technological innovation literature for possible national strate gies for innovation. After a review and synthesis of theories and research on innovation, some highly generalized strategies for promoting innovation are outlined for nations at various levels of technological development. In a final section some consideration is given to the “systemic costs” of innovation, particularly the possibility that high rates of innovation may not be sustainable and that innovation dependency may prove to be an “excelsior trap” with dire economic consequences.