Productivity, Innovation and Knowledge in Services

Reviews / Votes

'. . . contains a number of useful papers on a highly topical issue, where high quality published work is lagging behind public interest.' -- Stephen Broadberry, Journal of Economic Literature 'This is an interesting and readable collection by a group of long-standing scholars.' -- Sally Randles, The Service Industries Journal 'While I have suggested that the literature on the services has not yet attained a volume commensurate with their importance, recent contributions by economists to analysis of this arena have hardly been negligible. Groups of highly qualified and productive researchers have contributed to a valuable and growing literature that begins to provide a deeper understanding of the issues raised by the role of the service sector. Jean Gadrey and his colleagues have been in the vanguard of this activity and their work has provided much needed additions to the analysis of the subject. This volume is a significant example of their work. And it is significant not only because of the quality of its contents but also because of the particular topic on which the compendium focuses.' -- From the foreword by William J. Baumol 'This is an engaging volume that brings together some of the most important researchers working on the complex relationships between productivity, innovation and services. It is a major contribution to understanding the paradox in the relationship between services and economic growth. It challenges some of the widespread assumptions that are commonly held about services and is particularly strong in highlighting the relationship between these assumptions and the limitations imposed by existing forms of measurement and conceptual frameworks. The collection provides an important stepping-stone in the developing service research agenda in the discipline of economics. I enjoyed the book and found the content stimulating and thought-provoking, and the reference lists especially interesting. It is well worth a close read.' -- John R. Bryson, University of Birmingham, UK