R obotics technology and the increasing sophistication of artificial intelligence are breakthrough innovations with significant growth prospects. They have the potential to disrupt existing socioeconomic facets of everyday life. Yet few studies have analysed the development of robotics innovation. This paper closes this gap by analysing current developments in innovation in robotics; how it is diffused, and what role is played by intellectual property (IP). The paper argues that robotics clusters are mainly located in the US and Europe, despite a growing presence in South Korea and China. The robotics innovation ecosystem builds on cooperative networks of actors, including individuals, research institutions, and firms. Governments play a significant role in supporting robotics innovation through funding, military demand, and national robotics strategies. Robotics competitions

“Markets for brands” play an important economic role in today's global economy. Trademarks and brands can be purchased, franchised or licensed.The ability to use Markets for Brands allows companies to diversify their business, to access competences, and to generate new revenues. In recent years, firms in developed and emerging economies have been active users of these markets by licensing or acquiring established global brands. Yet, despite their apparent importance, little is known about the size of these markets. This article first defines and provides a taxonomy of different brand markets. Second, it analyzes the economic rationale of such markets. Finally, it provides evidence on their magnitude, also assessing their relative importance of the different brand‐related transaction types in developed and emerging economies alike.

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The rapid development of the Internet has led to a growing electronic cross-border delivery of services. While the WTO negotiations have not caught up to the reality of such service trade, the first GATS case dealing with the Internet, namely ' United States -Measures Affecting the Cross-Border Supply of Gambling and Betting Services ', has advanced matters. This paper distils the substantive conclusions of the case and remaining questions in relation to Internet-supplied services and certain core concepts of the GATS. Moreover, it sheds light on the case's implications for the services negotiations under the ongoing Doha Development Agenda. It concludes that the second ever GATS case has provided an encouraging set of answers to the unresolved questions of the WTO's Work Programme on E-Commerce, mainly confirming the applicability of GATS commitments to electronically supplied services and shaping the concept of technological neutrality. While more work or dispute settlement cases are necessary to clarify the remaining questions, the rulings have paved the way for the GATS to be a more effective discipline for cross-border (electronic) trade. The paper also explains that a ' chilling effect ' of the rulings on the Doha services negotiations is not warranted.Thanks go to

This paper reviews options for measuring innovation in the informal sector and proposes an agenda for future work. It starts with a review of surveys of innovation in the formal business sector, and related definitions, as sources of questions and definitions which could be applied to the informal sector. Then, labour force surveys, and those that are combined with establishment surveys to measure informal sector activities, are examined with a view to adding questions, or modules, on the measurement of innovation in the informal sector. In addition, the advantages of using semi-structured interviews and ad hoc questionnaires in specific sub-sectors of the informal sector are explored. The discussion leads to a possible agenda for future work on the development of policy relevant indicators of innovation in the informal economy. Its main strength lies in the new combination of tested approaches in both informal sector and also innovation surveys.