Competing for the Future
How Digital Innovations are Changing the World

An explanation of how digital technology works, why it matters and how it is financed.

Henry Kressel (Author), Thomas V. Lento (With)

9780521862905, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 16 April 2007

422 pages, 102 b/w illus. 16 tables
23.5 x 16 x 2.6 cm, 0.7 kg

'At a time when 'innovation' has become an industry and political buzzword, Henry Kressel provides a comprehensive, clear-headed and insightful survey of the rise of digital electronics, how it has transformed society over the last half century and where digital electronics might take us - for better or worse - in the next 50 years.' George Leopold, Director, EE Times Network

Everybody knows that digital technology has revolutionised our economy and our lifestyles. But how many of us really understand the drivers behind the technology - the significance of going digital; the miniaturization of circuit boards; the role of venture capital in financing the revolution; the importance of research and development? How many of us understand what it takes to make money from innovative technologies? Should we worry about manufacturing going offshore? What is the role of India and China in the digital economy? Drawing on a lifetime's experience in the industry, as an engineer, a senior manager and as a partner in a venture capital firm, Henry Kressel offers an expert personalized answer to all these questions. He explains how the technology works, why it matters, how it is financed and what the key lessons are for public policy.

List of figures
List of tables
Acknowledgements
1. Genesis: inventing electronics for the digital world
2. Building digital systems
3. Edison's legacy: industrial R&D
4. R&D goes global
5. Financing innovation: venture capital
6. Manufacturing: globalizing faster than ever
7. Your government is here to help
8. The digital world: industries transformed
9. The digital world: a global village
Appendix 1.1 Smaller, faster, more efficient MOSFETs
Appendix 1.2 Building multi-transistor logic gates
Appendix 1.3 MOSFETs in memory devices
Appendix 1.4 CMOS reduces logic gate power dissipation
Appendix 1.5 Laser diode basics
Appendix 1.6 Light emitting diodes (LEDs)
Appendix 1.7 Photodetectors
Appendix 1.8 Making fibre optic cables
Appendix 1.9 Principles of LCD displays
Appendix 2.1 The demise of analog computers
Appendix 2.2 IP, TCP, and the internet
Appendix 2.3 Building an object-oriented program
Index.

Subject Areas: Computer science [UY], Information technology: general issues [UB], Electrical engineering [THR], Engineering: general [TBC], Business & management [KJ]