Charles Edquist

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About

Charles Edquist is a leading scholar in innovation systems and technology diffusion, whose work has profoundly shaped our understanding of how new technologies spread across industries and nations. His research focuses on the systemic nature of innovation, particularly the role of institutions, policies, and industrial structures in fostering technological change. Edquist’s major contributions include pioneering the concept of "innovation systems" and analyzing the global diffusion of advanced manufacturing technologies. His highly cited 1988 work, *Flexible Automation: The Global Diffusion of New Technology in the Engineering Industry* (85 citations), provides a foundational framework for understanding how technologies like numerically controlled machine tools, industrial robots, and flexible manufacturing systems are adopted across OECD countries. This study remains a cornerstone for scholars examining the interplay between technology, policy, and economic development. Additionally, his 1987 analysis of industrial robot diffusion (4 citations) offers early insights into automation’s impact on labor and productivity. Edquist’s work has been instrumental in shaping innovation policy research, earning him recognition as a key figure in evolutionary economics and technology studies. His legacy continues to inspire researchers exploring how innovation systems drive economic transformation.