1st Edition

Innovation and Technological Diffusion An economic history of early steam engines

By Harry Kitsikopoulos Copyright 2016
202 Pages
by Routledge

202 Pages 48 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

202 Pages 48 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

This book deals with two key aspects of the history of steam engines, a cornerstone of the Industrial Revolution, specifically the road that led to its discovery and the process of diffusion of the early steam engines. The first part of the volume outlines the technological and scientific developments which took place between the 16 th and 18 th centuries, proving critical for the invention... Read more

PART I 1. From Hero to Newcomen: The Critical Scientific and Technological Developments That Led to the Invention of the Steam Engine 2. Why did England Invent the Steam Engine? The Role of Science, Economic Incentives, Institutions, and Technical Skills PART II The Diffusion of Newcomen Engines, 1706-73: An Introduction Chapter 3. The Diffusion of Newcomen Engines: A Reassessment 4. The cost of steam vs other power sources in the British economy 5. The role of British engineering skills in driving the diffusion of Newcomen engines 6. Firm size and market demand as determinants of diffusion: The role of the threshold (minimum) level of output

Biography

Harry Kitsikopoulos is Clinical Professor, Department of Economics, New York University, USA