This authoritative collection covers the economics and business side of the social scientific debate about the economics of 'modern biotechnology' or 'the biotechnology industry'. Biotechnology has attracted an enormous interest. Research has spawned work on a variety of theoretical issues about economic dynamics, about innovation systems and about what might be called - in the current jargon - the modern 'learning economy'. More generally, biotechnology is often perceived as one of the most important, broad, cutting-edge new technologies of the contemporary era. This collection will provide the reader with an accessible and structured understanding of the main issues which have characterized debates about the economics of biotechnology.