From transitional to radical knowledge-based development

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to introduce the 2006 annual special issue on knowledge‐based development, focusing on the progress of this emerging field and on the direction it seems to be taking.Design/methodology/approach – From this viewpoint, a brief outline of the volume contributions is provided.Findings – A number of characteristics of the contributions along this and the two preceding special issues are identified: multidisciplinarity, theoretical and methodological variety, systems approach, empirical bases and particularly a growing strategic perspective.Originality/value – This volume may contribute to stimulate further research into the full potential of knowledge‐based social value systems