Historical background -- I. The traditional approach: The rise of the college wage premium -- Early studies -- Trade versus technology -- Offshoring -- II. Broadening the canvas: Matching workers with jobs -- Regional disparity -- Firm characteristics -- Technology choice -- Residual inequality

Many writers have claimed that R&D has two 'faces'. In addition to the conventional role of stimulating innovation, R&D enhances technology transfer by improving the ability of firms to learn about advances in the leading edge ('absorptive capacity'). In this paper we document that there has...