1: Introduction
The puzzle
Is this book for you?
Key ideas in evolutionary theory
Evolution of technology
Evolution of institutions
A sketch of coevolution
The economics and science of dye-making
The road ahead
2: Country-level performance differences and their institutional foundations
Intriguing questions about industrial leadership
Performance under the microscope
Background information on the three countries
National research and training systems
Supporting organizations and the state
The academic-industrial knowledge network
Social organization of production at the shop floor
Intellectual property right regimes
3: Three times two case studies of individual firms
Purpose of the matched comparisons
The cast of firms
The world of pioneers (1857-65)
Science unbound (1866-85)
The age of Bayer (1886-1914)
Did managerial action make a difference?
4: The coevolution of national industries and institutions
Overview of collective strategies
Forging a national science capability
Lobbying for a supportive patent system
Influencing tariff laws
5: Toward an institutional theory of competitive advantage
Theoretical gaps
Evolutionary interpretation of the key findings
A theory of coevolution
Implications for industrial organization studies
Opportunities for future research on industrial development
A technological history of dyes
Short description of databases on firms and plants.