Sectoral systems of innovation in the era of the fourth industrial revolution: an introduction to the special section

Abstract

AbstractThe sectoral system framework has been adopted to study innovation and industrial dynamics in a wide range of sectors. However, recent development of the so-called “fourth industrial revolution” technologies, such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, additive manufacturing, advanced robotics, Internet of Things, smartphones, and autonomous vehicles, has been blurring the boundaries of existing sectors, bringing both opportunities and challenges for sectoral systems research. In this introductory essay, we first provide a quick review on the sectoral systems of innovation literature, clarifying some conceptual and methodological issues. Then, we discuss how the fourth industrial revolution might reshape sectoral systems along three different dimensions (i.e. technological, market, and policy dimensions). Finally, we introduce articles in this special section and call for future research on this intriguing topic.