The bumpy ride to the knowledge economy

The transition to the knowledge economy seems far bumpier than it had been anticipated. The understanding of the structural changes that parallel the transition to the knowledge economy is indispensable in order to distinguish between short and long term dynamics and absolutely necessary to identify the new emerging characters of advanced economic systems. In order to support the transition it is necessary to implement an effective knowledge policy based upon: (1) the strengthening of the public research infrastructure; (2) the selective support to tertiary education finalized to increase the supply of dedicated ICT skills; (3) the provision of a large digital infrastructure that helps reducing absorption and access costs to the existing stock of quasi-public knowledge; (4) the strengthening of the interactions between private and public research; (5) the implementation of a competent procurement able to increase the knowledge accelerator; (6) the active support to intangible investments. © 2016, Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale.