In light of the interest in axiomatic models of decision making in recent years, one is led to ask, in what ways do axiomatic derivations advance positive economics? If economists are interested in predicting how people behave, without a pretense to change individual decision making, how can...

This dissertation argues that the impetus, growth, and financial success of many North American high-tech companies--biotechnology, computer software development and design, as well as Internet startups--are partly due to their collective way of organizing the production and distribution of...