ABSTRACT
In the course of the industrial development of today's advanced countries, the organizational pattern of industry and society alike has undergone a number of sweeping changes (Freeman 1987, 68-75). BasiC' inventions and discoveries set off waves of innovation that lead to a reexamination of important elements of existing patterns, in particular as established technologies and organizational patterns require ever larger efforts for ever smaller improvements. A transitional phase will see a new organizational pattern gaining a foothold in more and more areas of economy and society. The shape this takes on varies from country to country, depending on specific national
conditions, making it possible to distinguish between specific national development profiles, say in Denmark or Japan. Developing countries, too, form specific profiles in the course of their industrial development. This is true of national patterns of market economy no less than it is for national competitive advantages (Porter 1990). No specific profile can easily be copied; but societies can use other countries' experiences to stimulate and enrich their learning processes.
