'Long-term growth and prosperity depend on innovation, learning and new and improved technologies to raise labour productivity. This book tackles these complex issues by sifting the evidence carefully to produce important policy implications highlighting the potential role of government as facilitator of the learning economy. Its likely audience will be academic specialists, including postgraduates, althought it will prove useful for appropriate advanced undergraduate courses. Several chapters should be sent to shareholders in UK companies, to drive home the adverse long-term growth effects of high dividend payments at the expense of R&D and investment.' The Times Higher Education Supplement